I must tell you that I am not that fond of beef, and in fact, had a nice leg of lamb for my dinner last night.’ Several members of the tour chuckled.
‘On your right the Middle Tower which guards the entrance area outside the moat and the outer ward, which has a total of six towers and two bastions and abuts the Thames wharf to the south. Beneath you is the dry moat. At one time it was filled with water and I use that term loosely. It was, in fact, a giant cesspool which stunk to high heaven. It did, however, provide an excellent deterrent for those individuals who, for various reasons, wished not to use the usual entrance ways.’
‘To the left of you the Byward Tower; the gatehouse of the outer ward. Originally this Tower was fitted with a wooden drawbridge which could be drawn up in times of trouble. As you walk through, take note of the portcullis. The wooden gallery which you see above was constructed in the early part of the 16th century.’
Taking the lead, he drew his audience along the causeway and through the archway between the two turrets which together formed the Byward Tower. Just beyond, he halted, and waited patiently for everyone to come through.
‘We are now between the inner and outer walls. The inner wall is forty feet high and there are thirteen towers built into it. The first tower you will notice is the Bell Tower, one of the oldest and most secure of all the towers. At various times it has been a prison for such notable individuals as Princes Elizabeth, who later became Queen Elizabeth the First, Sir Thomas More, Bishop John Fisher and the Duke of Monmouth. Begun by King Richard the First, it has been called by various names over the years; the Belfry Tower, the Curfew Tower and the Red Tower. Because of its proximity to the River Thames, it is built on a base of solid masonry five metres above the original river level and the tower itself is eighteen metres high and contains two floors.
‘As we approach Traitors Gate ladies and gentlemen, let me remind you that you have entered the Tower of London voluntarily and will be leaving, no doubt, in a few hours. The same may not be said of many of the individuals who came through, under Traitors Gate and climbed those stairs.
‘The Lady Princess Elizabeth was conducted to the Tower through this gate on Palm Sunday, 1554. She was a young girl of twenty years but, despite her youth, she was a strong-willed young woman. Climbing up a few steps, she promptly sat down in the pouring rain and refused to go further, insisting that she was not a traitor and did not deserve this fate. It took a considerable amount of coaxing before she finally allowed herself to be escorted to her lodgings in the Bell Tower. To get there she would have had to pass beneath the Bloody Tower behind you.
‘Originally called the Garden Tower, it received its more ominous name in Tudor times because of its association with the two Princes, the sons of King Edward the Fourth who, legend has it, were murdered in this tower by order of their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard the Third.
‘The Bloody Tower houses a fully functioning portcullis which weighs two tonnes. Before a windlass and pulley system was installed in 1848, thirty men were required to raise and lower it. There were originally two such gates installed in the inner and outer gateway. Unlike the other towers here, the Bloody Tower is square and serves as the gateway into the inner ward. It has had its share of famous prisoners as well, including Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas Overbury, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and the infamous Judge George Jeffreys.
‘To the right the Wakefield Tower which housed the Crown Jewels until 1967. Its most famous prisoner was King Henry the Sixth who died there in 1471 under mysterious circumstances. The bridge above connects St. Thomas's Tower to the upper floor of the Wakefield Tower. Now, if you will follow me, we shall go through the entrance way here, note the portcullis above, and you will receive your first clear view of the White Tower.’
The cobblestones beneath the Bloody Tower were hard and uneven and Laura was grateful that they both had worn sensible shoes. The land rose dramatically then as the great central Keep came into view.
‘Construction on the Tower of London was begun by William the Conqueror shortly after his victory at the Battle of Hastings. For those who do not remember their history, that was in 1066. The White Tower was the first structure built. It is ninety feet high and measures one hundred and eighteen feet by one hundred and seven feet. It got its name during the reign of King Henry the Third when he ordered the exterior whitewashed prior to the arrival of his bride, Eleanor of Provence in 1236. For most of its nine hundred year history, it had been the tallest building in London.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, I will leave you now to wander about the Tower grounds at your leisure. Take particular care with the Tower Ravens please. They are a carnivorous bird with a keen appetite for fingers, so beware.’ He did his utmost to sound suitably foreboding. Several tourists did laugh however, probably because they had not as yet seen a raven, nor had an opportunity to appreciate its size and evil demeanor.
‘The ravens have been in evidence at the Tower since its inception so they feel they have a right to be here and are, in fact, encouraged to do so, since legend has it that without the ravens the Tower will fall and the kingdom with it. It is just a legend of course but, just to make sure, the birds’ wings are clipped but, I might add again for your safety, not their beaks nor their talons. Should you have any questions, please ask and I shall endeavor to answer them for you.’
A middle aged man next to Gail whispered to his wife out of the corner of his mouth. ‘Martha, ask the man where William the Conqueror put the toilets.’
*****
Laura eased herself down onto a wooden bench, lit a cigarette and watched as Gail turned full circle, taking in a much as she could but, as yet, not understanding very much of it. ‘Well, where do you want to start Gail?’
‘It's bigger than I thought.’
‘Eighteen acres, I think, with more history per square inch than anywhere else in England. If you want to see inside the Bloody Tower, we best do it now, before this place gets too crowded.’
‘The two Princes, I thought they were smothered or something, so how did it get the name Bloody Tower?’ Gail asked as they hurried along.
‘That name came later. During their time it was called the Garden Tower because it looked out over the Constable's garden. If the two boys were murdered there, and it’s doubtful, they certainly didn't meet a bloody end. It’s all typical Tudor propaganda. The same nonsense that gives Richard a withered arm, hump on his back, all that rubbish. I, for one, find it very hard to believe that Richard would have housed the boys there. It's just too close to the exit. Anyhow, must pay my respects to Sir Walter, patron saint of smokers.’ Laura grinned wickedly as they took their place in line.
Sir Walter Raleigh's prison had been faithfully recreated, furnished at it may have been in his day and included a portrait of the man himself. The fireplace was certainly large enough to have heated the room and included a bread-oven on the right-hand side. A few of the original floor tiles attested to the palatial accommodation offered to prisoners of rank.
‘Where do you think we should go now?’ Gail whispered as she relinquished her place to the press of tourists behind them.
‘How does the Wakefield Tower sound?’
‘Isn’t that where King Henry the Sixth was murdered?’
‘Yes,’ Laura replied gleefully.
‘Right,’ Gail snapped, ‘and afterwards we can go and have
