Tower Prisoners
Sites of imprisonment
Bishop of Durham
The
first political prisoner to be held in the White Tower was Ralph de
Flambard, Bishop of Durham. Locked up by Henry l in 1100, he was seen as
responsible for the unpopular policies of Henry’s predecessor, William
ll.
Henry Vl
During
the Wars of the Roses, between the rival families of York and
Lancaster, Henry VI was kept in Wakefield Tower for five years, until
restored to power in 1470.
The Little Princes
The
alleged murder of Edward, 12, and Richard, 10, in 1483, gave the Bloody
Tower its name. It is thought their uncle, Richard lll, was
responsible.
Apartment in the Bloody Tower
Sir Thomas More
Chancellor
Thomas More’s refusal to approve Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn
led to his imprisonment in the lower Bell Tower. He was beheaded in
1535.
Bell Tower
Henry Vlll’s Wives
Some
of the Tower’s most famous victims, such as the beheaded wives of Henry
Vlll, Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, are buried in the Chapel Royal
of St Peter ad Vincula.
Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula
The Dudley Family
Lord
Dudley and his four brothers were imprisoned (before their execution)
in the Beauchamp Tower for supporting Lady Jane Grey’s 1554 claim to the
throne.
Beauchamp Tower
Lady Jane Grey
In
1554 Lady Jane Grey was queen for nine days. Aged 16, she was held in
the gaoler’s house on Tower Green and later executed by order of Queen
Mary l.
Catholic Martyrs
Under the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603), many Catholics were executed. Most, including Jesuits, were held in the Salt Tower.
John Gerard
He escaped from the Cradle Tower with a fellow prisoner in 1597, using a rope strung over the moat by an accomplice in a boat.
Rudolf Hess
The
Tower’s last prisoner was Hitler’s deputy. He was held in the Queen’s
House in 1941, after flying to the UK to ask for peace.
The Crown Jewels
The lavish,
bejewelled items that make up the sovereign’s ceremonial regalia are all
in the care of the Tower of London. The collection dates from 1661 when
a new set was made to replace those destroyed by Cromwell following the
execution of Charles I in 1649. St Edward’s Crown was the first
subsequent crown to be made, of pure gold, and is the oldest of the 12
crowns here. Other coronation jewels on display include a gold,
jewel-studded orb, made in 1661, and a sceptre containing the 530-carat
Star of Africa, the biggest cut diamond in the world. The Sovereign’s
Ring, made for William IV, is sometimes called “the wedding ring of
England”.
Imperial State Crown
Heavily encrusted with 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds,
5 rubies and 273 pearls, this crown was designed for the coronation of
George Vl in 1937.
Top 10 Jewels
