Tower of London Map UK

 

Tower of London Map

 

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Tower of London, UK

Opening Times   Main Entrance to Tower of London   Group Entrance to Tower of London
Tower of London Location   Getting to The Tower of London
Book Tower of London Tickets   Book London Tours including Tower of London   Nearby Attractions

 

Beefeaters   Chapel Royal, St Peter ad Vincula   Crown Jewels   History of The Tower of London  Medieval Palace   Tower Ravens    Yeoman Warders    Queens House    Royal Armour    Royal Fusilears Museum    South Wall Walk   Torture at the Tower   Traitors Gate    Waterloo Barracks 

 

Bell Tower   Beauchamp Tower   Bloody Tower    Byward Tower   Cradle Tower   Lanthorn Tower   Lion Tower   Middle Tower   St. Thomas’s Tower   Wakefield Tower   White Tower

 

The Tower of London is one of the United Kingdoms finest Attractions. A quick tour taking in only the main highlights of the Tower can be done in an hour. For a fuller visit where you can join a Yeoman Warder tours that lasts 1 hour allow 3 hours overall

 

Opening Times

 

Adult Price Guide

 

£17.00 Online,  £19.80 Ticket Office.

 

 

Summer

 

Sunday & Monday    10:00 - 17:30

Tuesday - Saturday  09:00 - 17:30

 Last admission        17:00

 

 

Winter

 

Sunday & Monday    10:00 - 16:30

Tuesday - Saturday  09:00 - 16:30

 Last admission        16:00

 

Main Entrance to Tower of London The Middle Tower

Tickets can be purchased 150 metres up Tower Hill on the left near the A3211 main road, Tower Hill Terrace

Buy Tickets online

 

The main entrance is through the Middle Tower, where the ticket checking box is, locate on the West side of the Castle, the same side as the ticket office, next to the River.

 

Beyond the Middle Tower, is the bridge the start of the guided tours, then the Byward Tower in the Outer Wall

 

Before the ticket collection box look over the railings to see the excavations showing the foundations of the Lion Tower and Drawbridge pit

 

 

See location of the Main Entranec to the Tower of London on our Tower of London Map

 

 

Group Entrance to Tower of London

The Group Entrance is 500 metres from the Main Entrance round the corner & along the wide Riverside Walk just past St. Thomas’s Tower - Traitors gate.

 

St. Thomas’s Tower is easy to spot it justs out about 10 metres from the outer wall.

 

On the right hand side of the towere you will see the zig zag iron railing in front of the entrance, which is just a gateway in the wall & not a tower .

 

 

See location of the Group Entranc to the Tower of London on our Tower of London Map

 

The White Tower

• The White Tower gets it's name because the walls of the tower were painted with whitewash a low cost paint made from slaked lime (calcium carbonate) & chalk.
• Possibly the most famous castle keep in the world and easily recognised from it's 4 iconic  roofed turrets, 3 square ones and 1 round one, at the corners raising above the battlements.
• The Tower was built to subdue the idea of revolt by the recently conquered Londoners & English by the Normans
• The Tower was built to a fearsome size:
  • 118 x 177 feet  (35.9 x 32.6 metres)  & 90 feet (27.4m) high on the downhill side.
    The wall thickness is 15 feet (4.6 metres) at the base thinning to 11 feet (3.4 metres) near the top.
• As a defensive features
  • The entrance was on the first floor
  • The floors were divided into 2 with a wall down the centre. This also made floor boarding easier.
  • There was only a single easily defended spiral staircase, in the round tower, from the entrance hall, also the guard room to the rest of the castle
  • The direction of spiral would give defenders on the higher level an advantage. It is difficult to weald a sword using the right hand if attacking up the stairs. The central column is in the way

 

 

White Tower tours

 

White Tower tours are conducted by the Yeoman Wardens

Daily at 10.45, 12.45, and 14.15.

 

 

Recommended Visiting Time

 

40 minutes & includes time for Fit for a King

 

See location of the The White Tower on our Tower of London Map

 

Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels are displayed in the Jewel House with the Waterloo Barracks building.

 

The Crown Jewel collection contains 23,578 gems that include the Worlds most famous diamonds the massive Cullinan I and the notorious Koh-i-Noor.

 

The Imperial Crown, see photograph on the right, alone contains 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies.

 

 

Recommended Visiting Time

 

35 minutes but allow for long queues at peek times

 

See location of the Crown Jewels on our Tower of London Map

 

 

Beauchamp Tower

• The Beauchamp Tower was built by Henry the III as part of the Inner Wall around 1281
• This tower is roughly in the location of the original entrance to the Tower when only the 1 wall & White Tower existed.
• The tower was used at various times as a prison for important prisoners such as:
  • Sir Philip Howard, Earl of Arundel. Died as a prisoner 10 years after imprisonment during the reign of Elisabeth I.
  • Lord Cobham spent the last 14 years in James I's reign
  •  Robert Dudley the childhood sweetheart of Elizabeth I. He was held for one year.
• The wall are covered in prisoners graffiti mainly carved during the 16^th & 17^thcenturies, a period of both political & religious unrest.

 

See location of the Beauchamp Tower on our Tower of London Map

 

 

Bell Tower

The Bell Tower is located on the corner of the inner curtain wall nearest the Main Entrance

 

Byward Tower

The Byward Tower and Gateway is the ain entrance through the Concentric Outer Curtain Wall.

The Guided tours start just before this gateway on the causway & bridge across the filled in moat.

Just inside the gateway on the right is :

• An information board
• Shop where audio guides can be purchased

Next to the Byward Tower is a smaller tower with houses the Postern Gate. This tower can only be seen from outside the walls.

 

The  Byward Tower & its Postern gate extension are closed to the public, other than passing through the Byward Tower tower on your entrance ino the fortress.

 

 

Bloody Tower & Gateway

• The Bloody Tower is famous for it's association with the disappearance, presumed killed of the 2 young princes who where held in the Tower by Richard, their uncle who became King Richard III. There was no proof that Richard  gave the order for his nephews to be killed but he was the main suspect, closely followed by Henry VII. He was the last King to be killed on the battlefield, the battle of Bosworth Field, defeated by Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond (later King Henry VII)
• The Tower was built in the early 1220s, 142 years after the White Tower in a central position on the wall along the river.
• It was the main entrance from the river. After the later completion of the Outer wall in became the main entrance between the Inner & Outer wall.
• Prisoners held in this tower include:
  • The 2 Princes Edward V & his younger brother Richard Duke of York
  • Sir Walter Raleigh
  • 2 Archbishops of Canterbury
  • 1 Lord Chancellor
• Up the narrow & steep staircase on the first floor you will see a painting of the two young princes fast asleep & won of their uncle Richard III

 

 

 

 

Recommended Visiting Time

 

15 minutes

 

See location of the Bloody Tower on our Tower of London Map

 

Cradle Tower

The Cradle Tower was built 1348–55 on the outer wall as a private watergate for Edward III. Later it was used as a prison.

 

The gateway was protected by a drawbridge & 2 portcullises,  the grooves for 1 of them can still be seen.

Check out the

• Magnificent rib vaulted ceilings, & the carved crowns.
• Displays about the Jesuit priest, John Gerard , who was imprisoned in 1597 but then who escaped
• Another prisoner was Anne Askew imprisoned in 1546, who later became a martyr.

Lanthorn Tower

The Lanthorn Tower became the royal residence after the death of Edward I in 1307

 

The tower gives access to the South Wall Walk

 

The turret on top of the Lanthorn Tower held a brazier basket filled with wood to act as a navigational beacon fire

 

See location of the Lanthorn Tower on our Tower of London Map

 

 

 

 

Lion Tower

The Lion Tower was a large D shaped fortified island located in the moat and before the Middle Tower and added strength to the entrace to the fortifications. to get into the Lion tower you had to go through the 1 possibly 2 outer towers, which there is now no trace, over a drawbridge & through the portcullis & gate. before crossing the drawbridge into the Middle Tower

 

Only the foundations of the Lion Tower remain look over the railings as you approach the Middle Tower to see the below ground level excavations revealing the foundations and also the pit into which the counter weight end of the drawbridge descended into.

 

The painting on the right shows the causeway as solid but there were drawbridges just before the towers.

.

St. Thomas’s Tower - Traitors Gate

St. Thomas’s Tower is the grandiose main gate from the river and houses the notorious Traitors Gate, a one way trip for people accused of treason that included

• Queen Anne Boleyn, the 2^nd of 6 wives of Henry VIII, & mother of our great Queen Elisabeth I who defeated the Spanish Armada. Queen Anne failed to delivery a male heir which displeased Henry and he got rid of her by accusing her of high treason. She was found guilty and beheaded on the green in the Tower of London 4 days later.
  This marriage started the break from the Catholic Church, who disallowed the marriage, by Henry
• Sir Thomas More who was an important counselor to Henry VIII & Lord Chancellor refused to attend the marriage of  Anne Boleyn to Henry VIII, on technicalities he was found guilty of treason and sentenced to be hung drawn & quartered, but Henry commuted this to be executed by being beheaded
• Queen Catherine Howard,, the 5^th wife of Henry VIII was found guilty of treason after a few amendments to England's laws and also went to the block.

 

Built by Edward I between 1275 - 1279 as part of the outer wall.

 

 

Entrance to the Medieval Palace & South Wall Walk

 

The stairs to the entrance are located in the Outer Ward next to St. Thomas’s Tower and gives access to the Medieval Palace  & South Inner Wall Walk.

 

Wakefield Tower

The round Wakefield Tower was built by Henry III between 1220 and 1240.

 

• The next largest tower after the White tower and was built next to The Bloody Tower, the River Thames entrance, both part on the central section of the Inner Wall and forming a defensive strong point.
• King Henry III & Edward I & II had their Private Chambers in the Wakefield Tower
• In the top chamber of the Wakefield Tower is a fireplace large windows & a vaulted ceiling.
• King Edward I, II & III strengthened the defences by building an Outer Wall with several towers, making the castle into a concentric fortress.
• A gateway was built between the& Outer Walls at the location of the Wakefield Tower & Bloody Tower Inner wall & St. Thomas's Tower on the Outer wall.
  • This gateway split the Outer wall into 2 sections

 

 

 

See location of the Wakefield Tower on our Tower of London Map

 

Towers Closed to the public

Many of the towers are used as accommodation, offices or stores and are closed to the Public

 

 

Yeoman Warders known as Beefeaters

The Yeoman Warders,  commonly called 'Beefeaters' are the ceremonial guards of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and

 

Fortress the Tower of London. In particularly the Crown Jewels, and any prisoners held in the Tower

• There are 38 Yeoman Warders.
• All Yeoman Warders
  • Are ex service men or women with a minimum of 22 years service
  • Have held a senior non commissioned rank such as Sergeant Major i.e. a Warrant Officer.
  • Hold the Long Service and Good Conduct
• The Blue & red uniforms are their every day regalia. On ceremonial occasions in presence of The Queen they wear the much brighter Ceremonial Uniform of Red with gold trim

 

 

 

Yeoman Warder Tours

 

• Now a days they act as guides to the masses of tourists who visit the Tower and are themselves a tourist attraction..
• Tours start every 30 minutes from the bridge between the Middle Tower & Byward Tower
• Tours last for 1 hour.

 

Tower Ravens

One of the Yeoman Warders is placed in charge of the Tower Ravens

 

• He is named Yeoman Warder Ravenmaster (usually shortened to Ravenmaster)
• He feeds the Ravens with raw meat.
• There is a myth that if the ravens leave the monarch & Tower will be doomed.
• The wings of the Ravens are clipped to prevent them flying away, but they are free to roam the Tower grounds, usually they keep to the grassy areas especially the Green in front of the White Towers Entrace. There night time cages are in the corner of this green near the Wakefield Tower

 

 

See location of the Raven Cages on our Tower of London Map

Medieval Palace

The Medieval Palace was where our Kings & Queens lived in The Tower of London up to the reign of Queen Elisabeth I they were located on the inside of the inner south wall..

 

The palace has long since vanished but sections of The Tower of London have been carefully restored to create the interiors of some of the palaces rooms

 

The following towers have been used:

 

• St Thomas’s Tower - Entrance to the Medieval Palace. The royal bedchamber with it's recreation of King Edward I’s oak bed with a canopy.
• Wakefield Tower
• Lanthorn Tower

 

See location of the St Thomas’s Tower,Wakefield Tower & Lanthorn Tower on our Tower of London Map

 

 

South Wall Walk

Walk along the battlements of the inner South Wall with it's excellent higher vantage point great views of the River Thames, Tower Bridge & The Tower of London. 

Kids can imagine they are an archer shooting at attacking forces on the outer wall or in the outer ward.

 

 

Entrances to the Walk

 

Entrances to the South Wall Walk are via the following towers

• St Thomas’s Tower
• Wakefield Tower
• Lanthorn Tower

Royal Armour

 

 

 

 

See location of the White Tower on our Tower of London Map

Waterloo Barracks

Tower of London Waterloo Barracks
Photo by

Location of the Crown Jewels where you can expect queues at busy times

 

 

See location of the Waterloo Barracks on our Tower of London Map

 

 

Torture at the Tower

3 of the implements of Torture used in Tower of London are on display in the basement of the Wakefield Tower including the infamous rack.

 

All 3 on display are modern day is a replicas copied from remnants of the instruments & or historic diagrams.

• The rack
• The scavenger's daughter
• The manacles
• The chamber of 'Little Ease

 

 

 

Recommended Visiting Time

 

20 minutes

See location of the Wakefield Tower on our Tower of London Map

Chapel Royal, St Peter ad Vincula

The current building was constructed around 1520 after a fire destroyed the church of St Peter ad Vincula in 1512. The original building was outside the original walls of the castle.

 

 

Recommended Visiting Time

 

35 minutes

 

See location of the Chapel Royal, St Peter ad Vincula on our Tower of London Map

 

 Queens House

The Queens House was constructed in 1540 and is the best timber-framed building to survive the Great Fire of London of 1666.

 

See location of the Queens House on our Tower of London Map

Queens Stairs

The Queens Stairs can be found outside the outer wall on the river Thames bank opposite  the Byward Tower Postern Gate

These are the steps that extremely important visitors such as Kings, Queens, high ranking diplomats & officials would have used. Entry would be made into the fortress via the postern gate & it's drawbridge.

Royal  Fusilears Museum

The Royal  Fusilears Museum houses a collection of historic memorabilia from previous conflicts.

 

Included in the collection are uniforms, weapons, equipment, Colours and miniature models of the battles of Albuhera, Mons and Cassino.

 

The first 2 VC's of World War 1 were awarded to soldiers of the Royal Fusiliers.

 

See location of the Fusilears Museum on our Tower of London Map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History of The Tower of London

Before William The Conqueror the Norman Invader of England in 1066

 

Archaeological digs have found the south east corner of the Roman Walls of Londinium  the Roman name for what is now the City of London within the Tower of London fortifications.

 

 

William The Conqueror crowned as William I

 

The first stage was to dig a ditch around three side with the river on the fourth. Inside the ditch was a defendable wooden palisade. Timber accommodation for William was built within the palisade.

 

During the 1070's work on The White Tower was started. This was England's first stone keep. It is thought that it was completed in 1100 after the death of King William in 1087.

 

 

William II

 

King William II ordered the construction of a stone wall around the west & north side of the White Tower

 

The Tower of London Location

• Located on the north bank of the River Thames on the eastern edge of the City of London
• Immediately west & upriver of Tower Bridge

 

 Getting to The Tower of London

 

Tower Hill Tube Station

 

 

Nearest Tube Station: Tower Hill
The entrance is down the slope next to the round circular feature the exit is in the building 20 metres to the right of the photograph.

 

Nearest Bus Routes:

All major sightseeing bus tours, plus Bus routes: 15, 42, 78, 100, RV1 to Tower Hill

 

 

Road Underpass

 

20 metres to the left of the Tube Entrance is a pedestrian underpass under the very busy A3211 main road, Tower Hill Terrace

 

 

Roman Town Wall

 

 Near Tower Hill Tube Station is a short section of the Roman Town Wall

 

 

Book Tower of London Tickets

 

Book Online

 

The cheapest way of seeing several of Londons many attractions, including the Tower of London is to buy the London Pass at a reduced price.  Click the link below for details

 

Free Entry** to the Tower of London with The London Pass

 

Book London Tours including Tower of London

 

 

London in a Nutshell: Buckingham Palace, Tower of London and more!

 

 

Included in this One Day (approximate 7 hours 45 minutes) Tour & ends at Victoria Station at around 1730h (05:30pm).

• Start of the tour Victoria Coach Station at 0845h & ends  at Victoria Station at around 1730h (05:30pm)
• Luxury motor coach transport
• English Speaking Blue Badge Guide
• Drive to Kensington Palace, former home of Diana, Princess of Wales. the Royal Albert Hall, Albert Memorial and Westminster.
• Entrance & Guided Tour of Tower of London where you will be taken to see the Crown Jewels
• Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace
• Westminster
• Guided Tour of St Paul’s Cathedral
• Thames River Cruise
• There is a break for lunch - lunch not included

 

More information or Book

 

 

London Sightseeing: St Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London and Thames River Cruise

 

Included in this Half Day (approximate 4 hours 30 minutes) Tour

• Start of the tour Original London Visitors Centre which near Trafalgar Square at 1300h (01:00pm) Please report at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start time,. & ends at Victoria Station at around 1730h (05:30pm).
• guided tour of St Paul’s Cathedral
• Thames River Cruise.
• Tower of London & the Crown Jewels

 

More information or Book

 

Nearby Attractions

Tower Bridge

Saint Katherine Docks

HMS Belfast

All Hallows Church by the Tower

Trinity Gardens & Memorial to Seafarers

Monument to the Fire of London

St Paul's Cathedral.

 

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