The Tower of London Essay - 5058 Words

The Tower of London: A Landmark Alive With History The Tower of London is one of the most famous and visited historic monuments in the world. For some people it conjures up images of Norman architecture and towering battlements, but most associate it with arms and armour, ravens, the Crown Jewels, Yeoman Warders, imprisonment, death and ghostly apparitions. But this does not do it justice: the history of the Tower and its buildings is a vast, fascinating and complex subject, intertwined with the history of the country of England, its government, its kings and queens, and its people and institutions. The castles first four centuries, during the Middle Ages, saw the development of the layout of buildings that we know today and its†¦show more content†¦The White Tower was protected to the east and south by the old Roman city walls, while the north and west sides were protected by ditches and an earthwork with a wooden wall on top. The tower was reinforced on the two western corners by square turrets, by a round tower housing the main staircase on the north-eastern corner, and by a half-round projection housing the chapel on the south-eastern corner. Inside, each of the buildings four levels was divided into three parts. The lowest level contained access to the well while the main entrance was situated on the floor above and reached by a timber staircase. In the 12th century a fore-building was added to the south front of the White Tower to protect the entrance. From very early on the enclosure contained a number of timber buildings for residential and service use. It is important for us today to remember that the functions of the Tower from the 1070s until the late 19th century were established by its Norman founders. The Tower was never primarily intended to protect London from external invasion, although, of course, it could have done so if necessary. Nor was it ever intended to be the principal residence of the kings and queens of England, thoug h many did in fact spend periods of time there. Its primary function was always to provide a base for royal power in the City of London andShow MoreRelatedThe Tower Of London.1532 Words   |  7 Pagesyears my dream has been to visit London, England- so I decided to research a very historic site that is so prevalent to the history which helped shape many aspects of this city and English culture; The Tower of London. London seems to be such a magical place to visit, as there are many layers of history underground, but above ground as well. Over the many years London has been inhabited, there have been many historical events having occurred here, but this tower has been prominent to the growthRead MoreThe Symbol of the Tower of London761 Words   |  3 PagesEver since its creation by Gundolf in 1078, the Tower of London has served many purposes. Whether it was a royal residence or prison and torture chamber, most importantly, it has been a significant symbol and monument of Engli sh history and architecture. A small, modest building, many tourists are surprised to see the Tower of London, as it is not the magnificent, tall tower they were expecting. For some years, the Tower of London was used as a royal residence where monarchs would stay for a nightRead MoreMy Trip to London and the OXO Tower1002 Words   |  5 Pagesonce about washing powder. Something clearly a student studying medicine couldn’t make sense of. After she’d abruptly finished ‘her’ conversation I was back to thinking of the sights and smells of London city. The particular event I was recollecting was that of the past summer. The OXO tower South bank London, its not that well known amongst others so when I recalled the lavish event, my friends looked, stared and I’d wondered if in a hurry to get it all out I’d said completely the wrong thing? TheRead MoreEnglish and European History: The Tower of London Essay943 Words   |  4 PagesTower of London The age old fortress stands as a monument of English and European history. Through monarchs, bloody battles, from prisoners to executions and a touch from all London’s prominent events in history, the Tower Of London is renowned for more than just its magnificent appearance. The tower was founded by William, Duke of Normandy when he conquered England in 1066. He began building the stronghold as a declaration of his power to the English people who were resentful of his reign. WilliamRead MoreGreen Spaces And The City Of London1411 Words   |  6 PagesLondon, full with people and skyscrapers. There is concrete everywhere you look. People would have gone crazy with concrete madness if there were not green spaces. Green spaces are essential for the city and humans living in the city. Without it, people in the city would have been serious ill or even dead because of the smog. So, it is very important that London cares for it s green spaces. London is too big to be maintained by itself, that is why there are boroughs. Each borough maintains it ownRead MoreThe Journey Of An Odyssey Trip Of My Own1263 Words   |  6 Pagesbe travelling to three different countries doing different things while I am there to visit. My first destination is London, United Kingdo m while there I will be visiting the London Eye, Tower Bridge, and Trafalgar Square. My second place of interest for travel is Paris, France. While there to contain the boredom I will be a part of the tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Canal Saint-Martin, and the Place des Vosges. Third in my plane route is Barcelona, Spain. There to experience the beautyRead MoreShort Essay On The Day In London956 Words   |  4 PagesLondon awoke on a Sunday morning to the sound of car horns and sirens. Almost every day, London’s busy traffic always blared up to her in her flat, and after checking the clock, she noticed that it was 7:56 a.m. Rising out of bed for the day, London walked over to her kitchen to make a cup of, her favorite, Earl Grey tea. After the teapot made it’s classic â€Å"hissssss† of being done, her London Metropolitan Police mug, that she borrowed from work, meet steaming hot water. After plopping a few teaRead MoreCase Analysis : Food Dis tributors Ltd Essay799 Words   |  4 Pages Name of case: D.H.N. Food Distributors Ltd. v Tower Hamlets London Borough Council Names of parties: D.H.N. Food Distributors Ltd( Appellant), Bronze Investment Ltd( Appellant); D.H.N. Food Transport Ltd( Appellant) Tower Hamlets London Borough Council (Respondent) Court: The court of appeal (civil division) Judges: Lord Denning M.R, Goff LJ and Shaw LJ Citation: [1976]1 W.L.R.852. Essential facts: D.H.N was a company whichRead MoreShort Essay On A Day In The City1087 Words   |  5 PagesLondon awoke on Sunday to the sound of car horns and sirens. Every day in London traffic always blared up to her in her flat. She glanced at her clock and it read 7:56 a.m. She got up out of bed and walked over to her kitchen to make a cup of Earl Grey tea. After the teapot made it’s classic â€Å"Hissssss† of being done, she poured the water into her London Metropolitan Police mug, her weekly job. She added in the bag of tea, and she then made her way to her balcony to look over the bustling cityRead MoreTHE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON OF 16661500 Words   |  6 PagesTHE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON OF 1666 The Great Fire of London of 1666 that was started by Thomas Farrinor’s bakery caused the destruction of 80 percent of London and led to the creation of insurance and firefighting companies. The fire marked a time of rebirth for the British capital since the city had to rebuild entirely. The fire was quite an interesting event owing the fact that it caused such an extreme amount of destruction and took the lives of only six people. Londoners remember the seventeenth