The Tower of London
Wednesday, October 10th, 2007
We’ll be staying in London again today, visiting the Tower. You didn’t all check out of your cheap hotels did you? Listen, good hotels in London are dear. You need to keep that room until I say let’s go! Ok, back to the Tower of London. The photo shows what is known as the Traitor’s Gate, and this is the entrance most often used by those who were to be held prisoner. It is only accessible by water. Anne Boleyn, her daughter Elizabeth, her successor Catherine Howard and Sir Thomas More all entered the Tower this way, and only Elizabeth came out with her life.
The first tower prisoner was Ranulf Flambard in 1100 and the last prisoners were the Kray twins in 1952. And doubtless the Tower is the most famous execution site in the world. Many nobles were executed there, both inside and outside the Tower complex, and several are buried in the chapel by the Green.
The Tower was used as a royal residence from the time of William the Conqueror until Cromwell had the palatial buildings destroyed. Currently, the Crown Jewels are the main occupants.
