Tick Tock
15/11/21
The Tower of London
The Tower of London is a castle in the middle of London, right next to the River Thames. Tick Tock went to visit it to see if she could find out more about it and how it has been used over the years.
The centre of the Tower of London is a Norman built stone keep. Impressive isn't it!
Can you spot the 'Entry to the Traitors Gate' sign? What do you think that was used for?
The outside of the castle
Right in the middle of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It was the first part of the castle to be built, but over the years many more defensive features were added. Look at the photos Tick Tock took below and see if you can spot anything that would have made it more difficult to reach the middle of the castle.
The main entrance to the castle many years ago would have been via the River Thames. The water would have gone right up to the castle walls. The walls were also surrounded by a moat, which would have once been filled with river water. You can see where it would have been once upon a time in the photos.
Large walls, called curtain walls, with both round and square towers were added. They are topped with battlements where an army of guards would watch out for attackers. There are still soem guards there now! They look amazing and Tick Tock had great fun finding some of them.Â
Can you see the White Tower in the middle surrounded by defensive features?
The view from the top of one of the walls.
Why were these good for defence?
Can you see where the moat used to be?
The castle was still under guard!
Can you see the different layers there are to the middle of the castle?
The view from inside the castle.
The White Tower
The White Tower is so called because a lot of the stones used to build it look white. And they still do. Tick Tock was very excited to visit it and even go inside. It was one of the first stone keeps to built William the Conqueror after the battle of Hastings, to establish control over London. It’s so tall.
It would have been incredibly difficult to get inside without those wooden stairs being there. Can you think why the entrance door is so high up? If the tower was being attacked, can you think of anything they could have done about the staris?
Does it look like it would have been hard to get into if you'd been an attacker?
Why are the steps leading to the entrance wooden?
Why would the White Tower have round towers on some of the corners?
Round and square towers. What other defensive features can you spot on the White Tower?
Why would they have made the White Tower so tall?
The Tower of London over the years
The Tower of London has had many uses since it was first built as a defensive castle. Now it is where the Queen’s Crown Jewels are kept safely guarded but in the past it has been a grand royal palace, a prison and place of execution (it was where Guy Fawkes was taken after being caught trying to blow up the Houses of Parliament and the place royal prisoners were kept such as Anne Boleyn), a royal mint (where they created money), an armoury (where they made and stored armour) and even a zoo!
There are lots of stories, some very scary and spooky that come from the castle. One legend that still lives on even today is that if the ravens that live at the castle were ever to leave the Tower and the whole of the kingdom would fall! Seven ravens are kept at the Tower at all times to stop this from happening.
The Crown Jewels are still kept at the castle.
Can you imagine the castle being a zoo full of animals?
Ravens are still kept at the castle...just in case!
All photos and illustrations in this blog post are Whizzbots Images.
Other images on the site may be Shutterstock, Public Domain or Creative Commons Images, which are credited appropriately.
