In 1078, a massive fortress-prison was built that would change the lives of people throughout all of Europe. This structure, called The Tower of London, is now globally known. It was originally built as a symbol of Norman power in the southeastern corner of London. This historical landmark is still standing today as a reminder of much of London’s history. The Tower of London’s deep history includes murder, mystery, special ceremonies, and the devotion of those who guard it. William of Normandy had a certain purpose in mind when he ordered the Tower of London to be built.
William of Normandy as not even English, but he was once promised the throne to England by his cousin, King Edward. However, on King Edward’s deathbed, he gave the throne to his brother-in-law, Harold. The Normans were known for their skill and ruthlessness on the field of combat, and under William’s leadership they had become one of the most important powers of Europe. William was very angry that he was not given the English crown as promised, and was a greatly feared warrior. Even so, few expected him to succeed in taking the throne.
He sailed his army across the English Channel to conquer England. On October 14, 1066, William met and crushed Harold. On Christmas Day, William (now William the Conqueror) was crowned the King of England. Distrustful of his rebellious new subjects, he ordered his men to build a fortress in the city. He built forts everywhere, and one was in the southeastern corner of London. He ordered the fort to be removed and then replaced by a great stone stronghold. This stone stronghold was to be a symbol of his power, a fortress for his defense, and a prison for his enemies.
This great stronghold was to be, in the future, the Tower of London. The Tower was finished twenty ears later, during the reign of William’s third son, William Rufus. It was strategically placed on the Thames River to act as both a fortress and a gateway to the capital. The Tower of London rose nearly 100 feet, and its walls were fifteen feet thick in some places. Within these walls there was a chapel, apartments, guardrooms, and crypts. The Tower was protected by the new stone wall, the old Roman wall, a wide ditch, and a river on either side of it.
This fortress-prison was going to change many lives in the future. The Tower had many different purposes over time that greatly affected England. Its original purpose was to e a fortress-prison, but it had developed over time into many more things. King Henry III made the Tower his home. He widened the grounds to include a church, a great hall, and other buildings. He called the entire area, now surrounded by a wide, water-filled ditch and a thick stone wall with small towers, the Tower of London. After fixing many things in the Tower, he renamed it the White Tower.
The Tower of London was still a fortress-prison, but it was now also a royal palace. He entertained very important visitors with three leopards, one polar bear, and an elephant. King Henry VII held extravagant tate ceremonies, but very few parties. He tried his best to avoid wars, and he imprisoned his enemies in the Tower. King Henry VII filled his own treasury with money from these imprisoned enemies’ estates. Many people were murdered at the Tower of London, and each had their own reasons for being murdered. Both important and not important people died in the Tower.
Many of those people were monarchs. One of the most famous murder cases in the Tower of London involves two brothers. King Edward V was thirteen years old when his father, King Edward IV, died. His uncle plotted to take the throne for himself, o he had Kind Edward V and his younger brother, Duke of York, taken to the Tower. Lord Hastings, a royal official, tried to protect the king, but he instead then got his head chopped off in Tower Green. The brothers were kept inside the Tower, and were rarely seen. They had somehow disappeared, and no one knew what happened to them.
There was an amazing discovery in 1674 that solved the case of what happened to them. King Charles II had ordered demolition of what remained of the royal palace, which was to the south of the White Tower. Beneath the foundations of a staircase was a wooden chest that workmen ad found. About ten feet below the ground laid this chest, with two skeletons inside of it. The skeletons were obviously the bones of the two children, as their height matched with the age of the two princes when they had disappeared. An eyewitness had said that there were pieces of rag and velvet attached to the bones.
This was a sign of royalty and nobility. The skeletons of the two brothers became a tourist attraction. The Ceremony of the Keys has been a tradition of the Tower of London for a very long time. It is one of the oldest traditions, and has occurred every night without fail for the last 700 years. The exact origin of this ceremony is unknown, but it probably dates from the time of the White Tower. The Chief Warder comes from the Byward Tower carrying the traditional lantern in one hand, and the Queen’s Keys in the other.
This happens every night at exactly seven minutes to ten. He walks toward the Bloody Tower, where an escort of a sergeant and a representative drummer are marched towards the outer gate. The escort halt and present arms as the Chief Warder shuts and locks the doors of the Middle Tower and the Byward Tower. Then they walk towards the Bloody Tower Archway. They wait and watch, then a entry challenges them. After the challenge, they proceed to go through the archway and toward the steps, where they then meet and officer with a drawn sword, the guard for the night.
The Chief Warder and escort halt. The officer gives the command, and the Chief Warder takes two steps forward. He holds up his Tudor bonnet high in the air, and calls out, “God preserve Queen Elizabeth. ” The whole guard replies, “Amen. ” The clock tower strikes ten, and the drummer, or bugler, sounds the last post. The Keys are then taken to the house of the Resident Governor, and the Guard is dismissed. The Yeoman Warders are very important people that have a history with the Tower of London. The origin of the Yeoman Warders was during King Henry VII’s reign.
The historical duties of the Yeoman Warders was to guard the prisoners and attend the gates. Their Royal livery, the State clothing, varied in detail over the years. The present style of their clothing was established during Queen Victoria’s reign. It is only worn on special occasions, such as at the three annual church parades. When Royal salutes are fired, a coat, hat, and white gloves are worn. The current blue underdress clothing was introduced in 1858, and the current loth hat was introduced in 1885.
The public could see a scarlet watchcoat worn by the Chief Warder and the Watchman at the Ceremony of Keys. It has been in use for a very long time. Yeoman Warders are armed with a sword and a partizan. The system of selecting Yeoman Warders is by recruiting those from the Royal Marines, Army, and the Royal Air Force. They must have attained a rank of Warrant Officer, Staff Sergeant, or Flight Sergeant. The modern-day Yeoman Warders have been Civil Servants since 1952 and they retire at age 65. State prisoners were lodged in various Towers and sometimes even in the
Warder’s lodgings when being held in the Tower. These prisoners paid fees to their Warder for their warding, board, and upkeep. The fees paid were meant to secure a profit for the Warder, but sometimes a prisoner would refuse to pay. Each prisoner was assigned a Warder or multiple Warders. The Warders were personally responsible for their prisoner’s security, and if the prisoner escaped, the Warder would be immediately dismissed. Early on, Warders earned fees for escorting visitors around the armory and remained the only authorized guides in the Tower of London until the 19th century.
Today, the Yeoman Warders are responsible for the security of the Tower of London and its visitors, and they control the gates, the Wharf, and all the areas open to the public. This does not apply to the Jewel House and the Armouries, as they have their own internal staff of Warders. Yeoman Warders also conduct public guided tours in the Tower of London throughout the day. The Tower of London stands today as an example of royalty and European architecture, and is widely known throughout the world. Much history has already occurred within its walls, and certainly much more is to come.
