Taking on the Tower

"Off with your head!" is a phrase that, when used in the context of English history, brings once place to mind: The Tower of London.

The Tower of London from the
backside, with the Tower Bridge
behind it

Anyone who's ever seen the Tudors (on HBO, I highly recommend it- even if English history isn't your thing, you get to watch Jonathan Rhys Myers for hours on end) knows that the history of the English crown and commonwealth is full of two things: blood and sex! Although the Tower of London was not considered by English monarchs to be the greatest location to have a scandalous sexual encounter, it played a large part in the blood-and-guts part of English history. It was originally built by William the Conqueror in the 1080's, and served as a residence, war fortress, and prison for multiple English monarchs for decades. It housed the Royal Menagerie before the animals were moved to Regent's Park to make up the London Zoo, and is still considered a Royal Residence.

The Imperial Crown of India,
1911

The Tower draws hundreds of visitors a day, who come to experience the history and mystery that lie within its stone walls. There are exhibits set up, marked, maintained and labeled, and guided tours given by men (and one woman) dressed up as Yeoman (more commonly called "beefeaters"). The guided tours are always spectacular, and the guides have to go through rounds of auditions as well as rigorous training in order to be permitted to work at the Tower. Although the exhibits are brilliantly done, what draws the crowds in most are the Crown Jewels, which are housed in a vault in the Tower, and the bloody history that the Tower represents.

The Tower was the site of multiple imprisonments and executions that have become immortalized: Edward V, twelve-year-old successor to his father's throne; Anne Askew, protestant martyr; Hew Draper, accused sorcerer (he left carvings on his cell walls that you can still see today- so creepy); John Gerard, Jesuit priest; Sir Thomas More, Chancellor of Henry VII; Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife; Anne Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, and many more. It is remarkable to think about if the walls of the old fortress could talk- some of the stories they would tell would, I'm sure, be terrifying.

The Orb and Sceptre- these are held
by monarchs during the coronation
process. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF
THAT DIAMOND! 

On a brighter note, the Tower also houses the Crown Jewels in a vault that is strictly monitored and securely locked every night after visitors leave. The Tower houses the crowns for rulers George I and George II, as well as the Imperial State Crown, and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Some of the jewels in these pieces were the size of golf balls- they were unbelievable. The jewels are still used today for coronations, special ceremonies, and sessions of Parliament. The most amazing thing to me (in a room full of jewels that cost trillions of dollars) was the fact that there were multiple "in use" signs in the displays. Part of the attraction to the English monarchy is the splendor that always accompanies their ceremonies and encompasses their history, and it is remarkable to think that these pieces are still utilized today. Unfortunately, you are not permitted to take any pictures of the jewels, so all of the ones included in this post have been ripped off of the internet, and I encourage all you crazy jewelry freaks to look up some more (don't be shy, you know you'd love to wear a diamond the size of a grape). Fun fact: the largest flawlessly cut diamond in the world can be found within the Crown Jewels. It is located at the top of the Sovereign's Sceptre, and weighs a crazy 530 carats! This monster is known as the Star of Africa.

That's about it for this post, keep your eyes peeled for another shortly about the Britain At War museum, which I am re-visiting tomorrow. Cheers!