Ceremony of the Keys Delecious Beef

Tower of London

Tower of London from River Thames

Higher up: The Tower of London, viewed from the River Thames. INSET BELOW: A Yeoman Warder describes dramatic scenes from the Tower'due south history.

Tourists and Beefeater at Tower of London T he Belfry of London is i of Britain's premier celebrated sites, drawing some 2.5 meg tourists and Londoners per year.

Fortunately, the well-nigh 1,000-twelvemonth-sometime castle has plenty of room for crowds, with eighteen acres (7.3 hectares) of towers, walls, and light-green space overlooking the banks of the River Thames.

An eight-year, �20 1000000 restoration and improvement projection has fabricated this UNESCO World Heritage Site even more than attractive, accessible, and convenient for visitors.

The Belfry of London is operated by Historic Imperial Palaces, a Royal Charter Body that also manages Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace, and the Banqueting House in Whitehall.

Sheathing history:

White Tower at Tower of London

Above: The shadow of the axe falls before the White Tower, which was begun in 1077 and finished 20 years later. INSET BELOW: Tudor reenactment well-nigh the Queen's House on Belfry Greenish.

The Tower of London's history tin can exist traced back to 1067, when William the Conqueror ordered a wooden fortress built along the Thames to keep Londoners from rebelling confronting their Norman occupiers.

Ten years later, work began on the White Tower , a stone continue congenital atop ruins of Roman fortifications.

Tudor re-enactment on Tower Green, Tower of London This stronghold--which William named the "Tower of London"--before long grew into a full-calibration castle with concentric walls, a moat, and other buildings such every bit the Garden Belfry or Encarmine Tower (where the Little Princes are said to have been murdered in 1485), Beauchamp Tower (famous for its carvings and inscriptions of medieval prisoners), and Queen's House , where Elizabeth I was imprisoned on orders of her one-half-sister, Queen Mary, for several months in 1554).

The Tower is possibly best known as a prison, a function that it served from the beginning of the 11th Century until the early years of World War 2.

It has as well housed the Majestic Mint, a menagerie, an arsenal, and the Crown Jewels.

Since World State of war II, the Tower of London has been open to the public equally an celebrated site and a tourist attraction.

Famous prisoners:

Actors portraying prisoners at Tower of London

Higher up: Actors portray inmates at the Traitors' Gate, the Tower's main entrance on the Thames. Left to correct: A German WWII prisoner, Ann Boleyn, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Bishop Ranulf Flambard.

The Belfry of London was the celebrity prison of medieval and Tudor times, attracting a better class of inmate than your common-garden dungeon or gaol.

The Tower's first prisoner (and escapee) was Bishop Ranulf Flambard, who received Concierge Flooring treatment in the White Tower after being imprisoned past Henry I in 1100. The bishop subsequently hosted a party his guards, then slithered down a rope and escaped in a waiting gunkhole while they were drunk.

Sir Walter Raleigh inhabited the Garden Belfry (a.k.a. the Garden Tower) for 13 years with his wife and children as companions. Raleigh, who is said to have taught Queen Elizabeth I how to smoke, raised grew tobacco on Belfry Green when he wasn't occupied with writing The History of the World.

Guy Fawkes, whose role in the Gunpowder Plot is still commemorated with bonfires and fireworks, was interrogated in the tower before being hung, drawn, and quartered at Westminster.

Lord Nithsdale earned "famous prisoner" condition as the Tower'south first and only cross-dressing escapee. On the eve of his scheduled execution, his married woman and 2 servants brought him a disguise of women'southward clothing. (Run into our short piece on Lord Nithsdale'due south escape.)

The Tower continued to be used equally a prison house during two Globe Wars, and the presence of German soldiers and spies in the Belfry may well accept protected it from bombing.

The most famous German prisoner was Rudolf Hess, the Deputy F�hrer of the 3rd Reich, who spent v days in Queen's House after flying from Federal republic of germany to Scotland in May, 1941.

Executions:

Contrary to popular conventionalities, only a small-scale number of executions take taken place within the Tower of London. Most condemned prisoners were taken to Tower Hill or other places in London for beheading or to be hung, drawn, and quartered.

Six beheadings have occurred on Tower Greenish. Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was executed by a French swordsman in 1536; Catherine Howard, Henry's fifth married woman, lay her caput on the block in 1542. Lady Jane Grey, who reigned as Queen for only ix days in 1553, died past the axe in 1554 for "usurping the throne of England."

Less famous victims were Margaret Plantagenet Pole, the 68-yr-one-time Countess of Salisbury, who refused to go quietly and required several blows of the axe to die in 1541. The last prisoner to beheaded at the Belfry was Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, who was arrested after plotting confronting Queen Elizabeth I in 1601.

Josef Jakobs execution chair, Tower of London A somewhat larger number of prisoners accept been executed past shooting: three Blackness Sentry Mutineers in 1743, eleven German spies in World War I, and--on Baronial 15, 1941-- Josef Jakobs , a German language who parachuted into England and later on was shot while seated in a chair (see photograph at right) considering he'd injured his leg in the bound.

The World State of war I and Ii executions took place in the Tower'southward East Casemates Rifle Range.

Yeoman Warders ("Beefeaters"):

Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) at Tower of London

To a higher place: Yeoman Warders with John Keohane (who was Yeoman Gaoler when this photo was taken) and Tom Sharp, Mr. Keohane's predecessor as Main Yeoman Warder. INSET Below: A Yeoman Warder gives directions to young visitors.

Beefeater with children, Tower of London Thirty-half-dozen Yeoman Warders guard the Belfry of London with the help of a British Ground forces unit. They written report to the Yeoman Gaoler and the Chief Yeoman Warder (the 2 gentlemen on the correct side of the group photo above).

In addition to keeping an eye on the Tower, the Yeoman Warders lead gratuitous tours and answer questions for visitors.

Sample Q&A:

Tourist: "Where was Ann Boleyn beheaded?"
Yeoman Warder (touching finger to neck): "Right nearly here."

The Yeoman Warders besides take formalism duties, including the nightly Anniversary of the Keys (see below) and attending such events as purple coronations and the Lord Mayor'due south Prove in the Metropolis of London.

Natasha Woollard of the Tower's press office and John Keohane, the Yeoman Gaoler during my visit, were kind enough to supply a number of facts about the Yeoman Warders:

A so-called Beefeater'southward official title is: "Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London and Member of the Sovereign'due south Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary."
The erroneous nickname "Beefeater" probably dates back to the time when Yeoman Warders were given a daily ration of meat. (Records evidence, that in 1813, the daily ration for the 30 men on duty was a remarkable 24 pounds of beefiness, xviii pounds of mutton, and 16 pounds of veal.)
To utilise for a position every bit a Yeoman Warder, you must have 19 years' of service with good carry as a senior non-deputed officer from the Ground forces, Royal Air Force, Purple Marines, or Royal Navy. (Merely a small number of applicants are accustomed.)
New Yeoman Warders are sworn in on Tower Green, where they accept an oath of fidelity that dates back to 1337. Afterwards the ceremony, the new recruits' health is toasted past the Master Yeoman Warder from a ceremonial punchbowl. (The punchbowl was a gift from Yeoman Warder Wilkins, who was found to exist earning a living as an innkeeper in Southwark when he should take been on duty.)
The Yeoman Warders and their families are required to live at the Belfry. (You'll see their neatly tended rowhouses facing Tower Dark-green.) In addition, they must own homes elsewhere in England so they'll have a place to go when they retire.

The Yeoman Warders have two uniforms:

The ceremonial compatible is worn for state occasions; e.g., when the monarch visits the Tower or for any land occasion that the Body attends. This uniform is predominantly carmine and goldwith red stockings, a white ruff, and black patent shoes.
For everyday vesture, the Yeoman Warders wearable a blue undress uniform that comes in summer and winter weights. (See photos to a higher place.)

Moira Cameron, first female Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) at Tower of London Finally, the get-go woman Yeoman Warder (a former Regular army auditor named Moira Cameron) began working in uniform at the Belfry of London on September 3, 2007.

Sites and sights:

Scaffold site, Tower of London

Above: Ii of Henry VIII's wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, were beheaded on the scaffold site at the Belfry of London. INSET BELOW: Traitors' Gate; prisoners' inscriptions at Beauchamp Tower.

The easiest way to become your bearings (along with an agreement of the Belfry and its history) is to join a Yeoman Warder tour, which is certain to be both informative and entertaining.

After that, you can wander about the Tower'south grounds on your own, allowing fourth dimension for such attractions as:

The White Tower, which dates dorsum to the time of William the Conqueror and is the oldest of the Tower's buildings. An ancient chapel is on the ground flooring; caput upstairs to see displays from the Royal Armouries and special exhibitions.
The Medieval Palace, which includes St. Thomas'southward Belfry, the Wakefield Belfry, and the Lanthorn Tower. The reconstructed interiors volition give yous a sense of what the palace was like in the 13th and 14th Centuries.
Traitors' Gate (photo at right), the Tower's water archway from the 13th through the 18th Centuries. Many prisoners arrived here past gunkhole from the Thames.
Belfry Green and the Scaffold Site (see photograph at top of page), where seven famous prisoners--including three Queens of England--were executed by axe or sword.
Chapel Royal of St. Peter et Vincula, which faces Belfry Dark-green, has Dominicus services that are open to the public.
Bloody Tower, a former gatehouse that has been occupied past such famous prisoners as the Little Princes (Edward 4's sons) and Sir Walter Raleigh. The latter's apartment is furnished equally it might have appeared during his 13-yr stay.
Beauchamp Tower, where you'll find prisoners' inscriptions (photograph at right) and displays of archaeological discoveries at the Tower of London.
The Crown Jewels and the Belfry Ravens, which are described elsewhere in this article. (Run into navigation table below.)
The Wall Walk, which runs forth the Tower's eastern inner curtain wall that was congenital early in the 13th Century.

Crown Jewels:

Queen Victoria's Small Diamond Crown, Tower of London Crown Jewels exhibit

ABOVE: Queen Victoria's Pocket-sized Diamond Crown measures 3.vii inches (nine.ix cm) high and iii.iv inches (9 cm) in diameter. It was worn atop a widow's cap. The crown was made in 1870, using some i,300 diamonds from a large necklace and other jewelry in the Queen's personal collection.

INSET BELOW: The Jewel House has been located in Waterloo Block since 1994.

Keith Hanson is Main Exhibitor of the Crown Jewels, having been appointed to that post in 2000 after serving as a Yeoman Warder.

Hanson, who lives at the Tower with his wife Angela, is the latest in a long line of Englishman who have watched over the royal Regalia since the Crown Jewels were first displayed to the public at the Belfry of London in 1661 (and possibly before).

Waterloo Block, Tower of London The Jewel House is located in Waterloo Block. (See inset photo.) When you enter, yous'll walk past displays of Imperial maces, swords, and other ceremonial items until you lot reach the chamber where the Coronation Regalia are on display.

There, you'll step onto a moving walkway that slowly takes you by well-lit brandish cases that hold the Imperial State Crown, Queen Victoria's Minor Diamond Crown (see photo to a higher place), the Majestic Crown of Republic of india, and other precious items. The jewels are dazzling (literally as well equally figuratively) in the otherwise darkened room.

Once y'all've stepped off the moving walkway, you lot tin return to the caput of the display cases and repeat the procedure on the other side, or you tin climb a few steps to a viewing platform that offers a different perspective on the collection.

Next, continue to the next room where yous can see Queen Elizabeth 2's Coronation Robe and other gear. (Film footage of the Queen'southward coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953 is shown continuously on high-definition Television screens.)

Some of the items to look for during your visit include:

The Cullinan I diamond, also known as the Kickoff Star of Africa, is the largest top-quality cut diamond in the world. It weighs slightly more than 530 carats and is mounted on the Sceptre. (The Cullinan I was one of nine large diamonds and 96 small brilliants cut over a period of 8 months from the Cullinan diamond, which weighed iii,106 carats uncut.)
The Cullinan II, the globe's second-largest height-quality cut diamond, weighs 317 carats and is on the front of the Purple Country Crown.
The Koh-I-Noor ("Mountain of Light") diamond, weighs 105.6 carats and is mounted on the Queen Mother's Crown. Many legends are associated with the diamond, which was surrendered past the Maharajah of Lahore to the Queen of England when the British Empire annexed the Punjab in 1849.

Hither are more facts about the Crown Jewels, compliments of the Tower's printing office and the Chief Exhibitor:

The silver gold spoon is the oldest piece in the collection. Information technology was probably fabricated for Henry Two or Richard I and is the only piece of royal goldsmith'due south work to survive from the 12th Century.
William 4'southward coronation crown was so heavy, at 7 pounds, that the new male monarch adult a tootache and needed to have the offending tooth removed.
And then far, there has been only one attempt to steal the Crown Jewels, by Colonel Blood in 1671. He failed, and--if you're lucky--you'll run into a re-enactment of his attempt, or a story by costumed interpreters, during your visit to the Belfry.
The Crown Jewels are cleaned regularly by a master jeweler who works in a special room on the premises after visiting hours.
The Imperial State Crown, which was created in 1937 for the coronation of George VI, is fix with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, eleven emeralds, 5 rubies, and 273 pearls.
When the Imperial State Crown is removed from its display case for a coronation or the yearly opening of Parliament, information technology is replaced by a pocket-sized sign that simply reads "IN USE."

The Tower Ravens:

Raven Master and ravens, Tower of London

Higher up: The Tower's former Raven Master, Derrick Coyle, with ane of his charges. INSET: A bird poses for tourists.

Nobody knows when ravens starting time came to the Tower of London, but they've been associated with the Tower for centuries.

Legend dictates that, if the ravens always exit, the Tower will fall and the Kingdom volition fall, so Charles 2 decreed that there must always exist at least six ravens at the Tower. That tradition has been honored for more than 300 years.

Raven, Tower of London If you're an aficionado of raven trivia, take a moment to memorize these facts and figures virtually the Belfry'southward avian mascots:

Seven ravens currently live at the Tower. Iii are females; iv are males. The 2 newest birds, Bran and Branwen, joined the team in Baronial, 2003.
To keep the birds from flight abroad, the Raven Principal clips their lifting feathers. The procedure doesn't hurt them in any way; it simply unbalances their flight and so they won't stray from the Tower.
Ravens have escaped occasionally. Grog was last seen outside an E End pub called the Rose and Punchbowl in 198 after living at the tower for 21 years (vii years longer than Sir Walter Raleigh).
Occasionally, birds are dismissed for bad beliefs. George was exiled to the Welsh Mount Zoo in 1986 after developing an unhealthy taste for TV antennas, while two other ravens were banished in 1996 for "conduct unbecoming Belfry residents."
Ravens are well fed: Each bird's daily ration includes 6 ounces of meat and bird-formula biscuits soaked in blood. Once a week the birds enjoy an egg, and they're occasionally given a rabbit (the fur is good for them). The ravens likewise enjoy scraps from the Tower'southward mess kitchen.
Ravens can alive to a ripe old age. The oldest raven to live at the Tower was Jim Crow, who died at the age of 44. The oldest raven curently living at the Belfry is Hardey, who is 26 years old.
Since 1987, the Tower has undertaken an aggressive and successful breeding program. Charlie and Rhys paired up and produced a full of 17 chicks.

(The data above was supplied by the Tower's press office, whose staff are on skillful terms with their feathered colleagues.)

Ceremony of the Keys:

Ceremony of the Keys, Tower of London

In a higher place: Conclusion of the nightly ceremony. INSET BELOW: Chief Yeoman Warder in ceremonial compatible with Tudor-style chapeau.

For more 700 years, the Admirer Porter or (in more contempo times) the Main Yeoman Warder has has locked the Belfry's heavy wooden gates each night with a set of heavy keys.

Chief Yeoman Warder in ceremonial uniform, Tower of London Originally, the Tower was locked from sunset till dawn. In 1826, when the Duke of Wellington became Constable of the Belfry, he ordered the start time changed to nine:53 p.1000. so the garrison could relish some fourth dimension on the boondocks. That time still stands, with the seven-minute ceremony beingness consummate (and the wooden gates locked for the night) at 10:00 p.m.

The Yeoman Warders have great pride in the fact that the Ceremony of the Keys connected without suspension fifty-fifty when several German language bombs savage on the Tower in World War Ii. (After a direct striking in September, 1941, the ceremony was delayed by half an hour but went ahead later on the dust and smoke had settled.)

Information technology'due south worth noting that the Ceremony of the Key isn't just for show: As the Tower's press role points out, "The importance of securing this fortress for the nighttime is still very relevant, because although the monarch no longer resides at this regal Palace, her crown jewels do!"

How to observe the anniversary

Anyone can witness the Ceremony of the Keys, which normally is open to the public every nighttime of the year. Even so, tickets--which are free--must be obtained in advance by booking online. (The anniversary is extremely popular, so we recommend booking months ahead.)

What you'll see

On the night of the ceremony, yous'll be admitted to the Belfry at 9:30 p.k. precisely and escorted to a spot about the Bloody Belfry.

A Yeoman Warder volition tell you how to behave (no talking, no photos), and at 9:53 p.grand. the Master Yeoman Warder will arroyo with the Keys of the Tower in ane manus and a contumely lantern in the other. He'll collect his escort from the armed services guards and proceed to the entrance to secure the main gates.

During the ceremony, the Yeoman Warder will respond to a guard's challenge, and the Anniversary of the Keys will later conclude with a bugle call (see photograph at elevation of folio). At 10:05 p.chiliad, you and your fellow visitors will be escorted to the afterward-hours gate used past the Tower's Yeoman Warders and military guards.

Tip: If you're visiting the Tower on the same day that you attend the Ceremony of the Keys, you'll have several hours to kill between the Tower's closing time and the ceremony.

You can easily head to some other office of London for dinner from the Underground station at Tower Colina, merely some other pick is to cross Tower Bridge and explore Butler's Wharf, which one time was London'due south biggest warehouse circuitous and is at present a trendy area of restaurants, art galleries, and shops.

Events and reenactments:

Gun salute by Honourable Artillery Company, Tower of London

Above: Gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest armed body in Great britain. INSET Below: Colonel Blood attempts to steal the Crown Jewels.

The Tower of London keeps visitors (and Londoners) coming back with seasonal events, historic reenactments, and special exhibitions.

Gun salutes are perennial oversupply-pleasers; these take place at to the lowest degree half a dozen times a year on such occasions as the Queen'due south official birthday (62 guns) and the State Opening of Parliament (41 guns).

If y'all're a fan of noise and smoke, try to visit the Tower in years when the Queen's official altogether coincides with the Duke of Edinburgh'due south actual birthday (June x), which last happened in 1967. In those years, 124 shots are fired consecutively from the Honourable Arms Visitor'south 105mm light gun on Tower Wharf. (Blank rounds are used in respect for Thames river traffic.)
Re-enactments and narrations past costumed performers take place throughout the year. In the photo at right, for example, an player portrays Colonel Thomas Claret, an Irish gaelic scoundrel who nearly got away with the Crown Jewels later cozying upwardly to the Keeper's daughter in 1671.
State parades take identify on Easter, Whitsun, and the Sunday before Christmas. Yeoman Warders escort the Governor from the Queen's House to a service in the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula and dorsum again. (Anyone can watch the parade, but if you'd like to nourish the service, y'all'll demand to phone the chaplain well in advance to obtain written permission.)
A ceremony named the Constable's Dues occurs whenever a large Royal Navy ship visits the port of London (normally virtually a year). The ship honors an aboriginal tradition by delivering a barrel of rum to the Tower's Constable.
On Rise Day every three years, local children whack theTower's purlieus markers with willow tands in a ceremony known as the Beating of the Premises. (This is in honor of 14th Century boys who were thrashed whenever they encroached on the Tower's grounds.)
Special exhibitions and tours occur regularly at the Tower; these range from "ghost tours" to regal murder mysteries to medieval Christmas celebrations.

Visitor information:

Aerial view, Tower of London

Higher up: An aeriform view of the Tower and the Thames. INSET Below: John Keohane, the Master Yeoman Warder at the time of my visit, enjoyed a cup of tea in the New Armouries eatery.

Opening hours and tickets. The Tower of London is open up year-round. Opening days and hours vary according to the season and authorities public-wellness guidelines.

Run across "Web data" below to check current times and ticket prices.

Transportation. The Tower of London is piece of cake to achieve past Hole-and-corner, bus, or boat. The closest tube station is Tower Hill, which is served past the Circle and Commune lines.

Former Chief Yeoman Warder John Keohane, Tower of London Food and drink. The New Armouries eating place serves drinks, sandwiches, pastries, and hot meals, including a traditional English cream tea in the afternoon. The Wharf Kiosk outside the tower has drinks, snacks, and ice cream.

Shops. Half a dozen shops offer everything from Yeoman Warder-themed souvenirs to armor replicas and Crown Jewels-inspired jewelry.

Web data. The Tower of London section of the Celebrated Majestic Palaces Web site is your official guide to the Tower. Another useful resources is Camelot Village: The Belfry of London.

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Source: https://www.europeforvisitors.com/london/articles/tower-of-london.htm