History

The Tower of London was founded in 1078, when William the Conqueror ordered the White Tower 

  (also known as the   Great Tower) to be built inside the southeast angle of the city walls, adjacent 

  to the Thames.

William the conqueror

When the Tower of London was first built, it was meant to serve as a fortress and palace. However, the   structure was intentionally built to be a large and menacing castle that overlooked the newly conquered city.   This meant that it served as a symbol of power and authority over London. It would later attain more tangible   functions, such as being used as a prison and a royal mint.

The Princes in the Tower is an expression frequently used to refer to Edward V, King of England and Richard of   Shrewsbury, Duke of York. The two brothers were the only sons of Edward IV, King of England and Elizabeth   Woodville surviving at the time of their father's death in 1483. 

The Tower of London Ravens: Ravens are kept at the Tower of London, in part to fulfill the demands of an old   superstition… this article explains why. The Beefeaters / Yeoman Warders: The Tower of London is guarded by   people called Yeoman Warders, but they’re better known by a nickname: the Beefeaters.

Architecture

The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. From the early 14th century until the reign of Charles II, a procession would be led from the Tower to Westminster Abbey on the coronation of a monarch. 

In the center the large Norman keep, called the White Tower, retains many of its original architectural features, the rest has been so enlarged, modified, and restored that it is hard to make generalizations about its architecture. The following is a general map of the Tower of London.

Ethnography

It’s inevitable that a spooky old building with a bloody history will abound with ghostly sightings. And if you like ghost stories, you won’t be disappointed by the Tower of London! The Bloody Tower is so called because it’s the place where the two ‘princes in the tower’ were reportedly murdered by their uncle, Richard III, in 1483.

12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, were staying in the then Garden Tower but went missing one night leading to rumours of their deaths at the hands of Richard III. Since then, there have been reported sightings of two terrified children dressed in white nightgowns, but when people have stepped towards them, they back slowly into the wall and disappear.

Other sightings of famous spooks include Anne Boleyn who was beheaded in the Tower in 1536 – some see her as part of a procession, others as a headless figure. Anne’s headless ghost was immortalised in the song, With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm. 

One unknown spirit who haunts the White Tower has been dubbed the White Lady. She has been seen waving to children, and people have reported smelling her cheap perfume.

The legend of the Tower

It is said that the kingdom and the Tower of London will fall if the six resident ravens ever leave the fortress.

Charles II is thought to have been the first to insist that the ravens of the Tower be protected after he was warned that the crown and the Tower itself would fall if they left.

The King's order was given against the wishes of his astronomer, John Flamsteed, who complained the ravens impeded the business of his observatory in the White Tower.

Our ravens preside over four different territories within the Tower's walls. You might even be lucky enough to witness them snacking on your visit — but please be careful and do not feed the ravens yourself, as they can bite if they feel their territory is being threatened.