64622 the tower of london

The Tower of London

The Tower of London is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and it
stands on the north bank of the River Thames separated from the City of London
by Tower Hill.
The Normans built the earlier parts of the castle. William the Conqueror
constructed the White Tower in 1078 and this gives the whole castle its name.
Richard the Lion heart added to the castle in the 12 th century and Edward I added
the outer ward in the 13th century. The layout of the Tower of London has
remained pretty much unchanged since.
The White Tower is a keep. It has 4 corner towers and has 3 storeys. The
Normans intended the keep to be used as a home as well a stronghold.
Following the death of Edward IV, Richard Duke of Gloucester (later to be Richard
III) was named Lord Protector while Edward V (who was 12) was too young to rule.
Richard kept Edward V and his brother, Prince Richard, in the Tower of London.


They were last seen in June 1483. Many people believe that they were murdered
and some believe that Richard III was Responsible.

In Tudors Times, the Tower of London wasn’t used very often
as a royal residence. Instead, it became a place to
house high-status prisoners.
Contrary to popular belief, the Tower of London did not
have its own purpose built torture chamber. However,
that’s not to say its prisoners weren’t tortured. Guy
Fawkes, for example, was brought to the Tower of
London and confessed to the Gunpowder Plot after being
tortured.
Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were both imprisoned and executed in the
Tower of London.

Sir Walther Raleigh was imprisoned there, and so Elizabeth I (before she was
Queen) on suspicious of her involvement in Wyatt’s Rebellion, a revolt against Mary
I.
Lady Jane Grey was executed within the walls of the Tower of London on Tower
Green.
During World War 2 the Tower of London was used as a prison to secure prisoners
of war. A German spy, Josef Jakobs, was the last person to be executed at the
Tower of London. He was killed by a firing squad in 1941.
On

23rd

September 1940 the Tower of London was bombed
during the Blitz. Several buildings in the
castle grounds were damaged, but luckily the White
Tower wasn’t hit.


At all times

six ravens must be kept at the Tower

of

Legend says that if anything happens to

London.

the ravens the kingdom will fall. The birds are cared for by the Yeoman Warders.

The Crown Jewels have been held at the Tower of London since the reign of Henry
III.
The Tower of London used to house the Royal Menagerie – the Royal Zoo. Over the
years the Tower has been home to a polar bear (who used to go fishing in the River
Thames), an elephant, lions and leopards.
Many people believe that the Tower of London is haunted. People report to have
seen the ghosts of Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and the murdered Princes.