No other building in England exceeds in historical interest the Tower of London. Said to have had a Roman origin. The authentic builder of the White Tower was William the Conqueror, which was afterwards surrounded by walls and a moat, the present fortifications being constructed by Henry III.
It has been a fortress, a Royal residence, and a State prison. It was in the White Tower the abdication of Richard II. in favour of Henry IV. took place, which led to a bitter rebellion.
Under a staircase of this tower the bones of the two sons of Edward Iv. were found, who were murdered by order of Richard III, and are buried in Westminster Abbey.
During the 15th Century, when the Civil Wars of the Roses were proceeding, the Tower was the State prison for those who, in turns, became the victims of defeat.
During the great religious ferment of the 16th Century the fire of persecution blazed brightly, and amongst the inhabitants of the Tower were Sir Thomas More and Bishop Fisher, two Queens of that very continent monarch, Henry VIII.
Anne Boleyn and Katherin Howard (both executed there), Lady Jane Grey and her husband (the victims of Queen Mary), Cranmer, Sir Walter Raleigh, Duke of Monmouth, Judge Jeffreys, and, later, the supporters of the Stuart cause who rose in rebellion in 1745.
In the Beauchamp Tower the inscriptions of former prisoners are seen carved upon the walls. The collection of armour in the upper floors of the White Tows. includes a series of armour-clad equestrian figures from the 13th to the 17th Centuries. 'the axe and block, too, are grimly suggestive amongst many other exhibits.
The Regalia or Crown Jewels are a must see, exhibited in the Wakefield Tower, and include St. Edward's Crown, used at the coronation of all the kings and queens since Charles II. The various crowns, the royal sceptre, etc form a collection of great interest.
The entrance is from Great lower Hill. The Yeomen of the Guard, popularly known as Beefeaters, have charge of the Tower, and visitors will find the way by their direction to the different points of interest open to the public.