The Tower of London is the oldest royal fortress-palace in the world and was built around the White Tower (the massive keep at its heart) by William “the Conqueror” in 1078.
Successive monarchs enlarged its defences and added more buildings. In its long history, the Tower of London has been a fortress, palace and prison, royal treasury and the kingdom’s main arsenal.
In 1100 the White Tower was host to the first of many hundreds of prisoners.
The evidence for the use of the Tower as a prison is plentiful, many of the towers have inscriptions carved by former inmates.
Seven nobles (five of them ladies) were beheaded privately on Tower Green, inside the complex, and then buried in the “Chapel Royal”, which is best known as the burial place of some of the most famous Tower prisoners, including three queens: Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, the second and fifth wives of Henry VIII, respectively, and Lady Jane Grey, who reigned for nine days in 1553.
Not surprisingly, the Tower of London has many “ghosts” and the reputation of being the place most frequently haunted in London. (Wikipedia, Historic Royal Palaces UK)
seniorsafari said:
I’d love to visit and encounter a ghost!
Eerie!
gardenbear said:
Jonie- I really like this website! I like the images and the short history lessons, as well. Thank you for doing this!
judibug007 said:
Thank you for this entry…….have always had a slight fascination about the Tower of London so appreciate the history. xxxx
London Photographs said:
the most beautiful bridge i ever seen..