Tower Of London Research Paper

Words: 1046
Pages: 5

Since castle building was an essential part of the Norman Conquest, as soon as Duke William of Normandy invaded England in 1066, his first action was to build a castle. The 900 year old Tower of London is one of the city’s most famous historical landmarks. It was built as a royal palace and a defense system. The tower built by Norman masons and English (Anglo-Saxon) labor covers an area of 18 acres. The Tower of London had many different towers of which some served as prisons, and to this day, people are still interested in its long history.

The 18 acres of the London tower are covered with a total of 21 different towers. Each of the towers had a different purpose. The White Tower is the most important building because it is the strongest
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It was used as an infamous prison. This is also where the skeletons of the two little princes, Edward V and Richard were found. Beauchamp Tower was built by King Edward I between 1272 and 1281. It was used to lodge prisoners of rank and also many of the most interesting mural inscriptions are to be found in its chambers. The Brick Tower was built by Henry III between 1238 and 1272. Broad Arrow Tower was built by Henry III as well. The purpose of this tower was to house part of the garrison. The name of the tower is believed to reflect the weapons of the armed men who garrisoned there. Byward tower was the new entrance to the Tower of London. The Byward Tower is believed to have been built adjacent to the Werder’s Hall therefor deriving its name. Bowyer Tower was built by King Henry III between 1238 and 1272. Like the Broad Arrow Tower, the Bowyer Tower was named for the royal bow makers who lived there. Constable Tower was also built by Henry III. The purpose …show more content…
Cradle Tower was built by Edward III in 1360. It provided King Edward III with a private water entrance to his apartments. Develin Tower was built by Edward I in 1282, but has been restored a couple of times since then. It is the furthest tower to the east. Named after Robert Devereux the Earl of Essex, Devereux Tower was built by King Henry III between 1238 and 1272. Flint Tower was built by Henry III as well. It is believed that it is named after the flint stone which was used to build part of it. The second largest tower built by Henry III was Lanthorn Tower. It is named for its lantern which used to guide ships at night. It was partly destroyed by fire in 1774 and later restored to todays Tower shop. Another tower built by Henry III was Martin Tower. Not only was it used as a prison, the Martin Tower also stored the crown jewels between 1669 and 1841 when it was referred to as the Jewel Tower. Middle Tower was also built between 1238 and 1272. As its name implies, the middle tower was built between two others. St. Thomas’s Tower was built by Edward I between 1275 and 1279. Below the tower is a stone archway with a strong double gate known as the Traitors Gate which is the river