The Castle of London

Previous page: Synopsis

THE CASTLE OF LONDON.

The Tower is the finest and best preserved example of a medieval castle in England.

It is of the concentric type, and comprises the White Tower (so called because it was whitewashed in early times) or central keep, built by William the Conqueror, and certain other structures (some are now incongruous modern buildings), encompassed by the double line of fortified walls that were built by the Conqueror's successors.

The Inner Wall was erected by his son, William Rufus, and the Outer Wall and the general layout were completed by Henry III (d. 1272). The inner or ballium wall is strengthened by thirteen towers, the outer wall by six towers on the river side and three great bastions on the land side.

Including the garden-fringed drill ground that was formerly the moat (the moat was drained by the Duke of Wellington, when Constable, in 1843), the Tower covers an area of eighteen acres and constitutes a distinct Liberty.

Next page: Officers and Garrison

• Tower of London - Introduction
• 1 - Synopsis
• 2 - The Castle of London
• 3 - Officers and Garrison
• 4 - The Fortified Walls
• 5 - The White Tower
• 6 - Tower Green
• 7 - Other Towers