| The Tower of London was founded in 1078, by William | | | | London, and part in Middlesex, but it forms, with its |
| the Conqueror.The massive White Tower is a typical | | | | surrounding fortifications, a precinct in itself which |
| example of Norman military architecture, whose | | | | belongs neither to the city nor the county. It covers an |
| influence was felt throughout the kingdom. To make | | | | area of 18 acres within the Garden rails.It was first built |
| room for his chief buildings he removed two bastions | | | | as a fortress, and has a central Keep, called the |
| of the old wall of London, and encroached slightly upon | | | | "White Tower." The Inner Ward is defended by a wall, |
| the civic boundaries.The Yeoman Warders, dressed in | | | | flanked by thirteen towers, the entrance to it being on |
| Tudor period garb, run very informative tours of the | | | | the south side under the Bloody Tower. The Outer |
| Tower of London complex. Also, a good highlight of a | | | | Ward is defended by a second wall, flanked by six |
| visit would be a viewing of the crown jewels. The | | | | towers on the river face, and by three semicircular |
| walls of the White Tower are 15 feet thick and it is 90 | | | | bastions on the north face. A Ditch or "Moat," now dry, |
| feet high. Of interest is that one of the Four Corners | | | | encircles the whole, crossed at the south-western |
| (turrets) contained the first royal observatory. The | | | | angle by a stone bridge, leading to the "Byward |
| White Tower currently contains the Chapel of St. John, | | | | Tower" from the "Middle Tower," a gateway which |
| one of the few unchanged areas where the Royal | | | | had formerly an outwork, called the "Lion Tower."The |
| Family and the court worshipped and where the | | | | Tower was occupied as a palace by all our Kings and |
| knights of the Order of Bath spent their Vigil the night | | | | Queens down to Charles II. It was the custom for each |
| before the king or queen was crowned. Tickets are | | | | monarch to lodge in the Tower before his coronation, |
| available for the famous Ceremony of the Keys, | | | | and to ride in procession to Westminster through the |
| which takes place late at night, is available for public | | | | city. The Palace buildings stood eastward of the |
| viewing, but application has to be made months in | | | | "Bloody Tower. |
| advance in writing. Part therefore of the Tower is in | | | | |