Tower of London

In the civil parish of Stepney. In the historic county of London, City of (Modern Authority of London Borough of Tower Hamlets, 1974 county of Greater London).

Great C11 tower built within Roman wall and by River Thames. Expanded as castle and palace almost continually since then with significant C13 curtain wall and bailey and other masonry work of many other periods. Legge's Mount and Brass Mount are early artillery bastions. World Heritage Site.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ336804

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 405480; 1100626; 1099876; 1100841; 1106118; 1099061; 1109292; 1106152; 1216432; 1100623; 1100681; 1109481; 1109453
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 081053 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.hrp.org.uk/webcode/tower_home.asp
    http://www.tower-of-london.com/
    http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/toweroflondon/toweroflondon.php
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/176/thetower.htm
    http://www.norman-world.com/angleterre/Patrimoine_architectural/Angleterre/Castles/tol/TOL1.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/tower.html
    http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/castles/page24.html
• Books
  • Impey, Edward (ed), 2008, The White Tower (Yale University Press) [major text]
    Whipp, David, 2006, The Medieval Postern Gate by the Tower of London (Museum of London Archaeology Service Monograph 26)
    Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p244-5 [slight]
    Diehl, D. and Donnelly, M.P., 2005, Tales from the Tower of London (Stroud: Sutton Publishing)
    Keevill, Graham, 2004, The Tower of London Moat (Oxford Archaeology, Historic Royal Palaces Monograph 1)
    Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles of The Thames Valley and The Chilterns (Malvern) p52-61
    Lapper, I. and Parnell, G., 2000, Landmarks in History: The Tower of London, a 2000-year History (Oxford)
    Keevill, Graham D., 2000, Medieval Palaces, An Archaeology (Stroud; Tempus) p11, 13, 16, 18, 25-7, 32-6, 40, 42-5, 48, 50-3, 56, 58-62, 66-80, 83, 92-9, 115, 117, 120-5, 127-32, 135-7, 146-9, 151-4, 157-61, 165-7, 169
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p151-4
    Schofield, J., 1994, Medieval London House (Yale University Press) p1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 21, 31, 36, 82, 95-6, 97, 101, 112, 135, 149, 150
    Parnell, Geoffrey, 1993, The Tower of London (London: English Heritage)
    Thurley, Simon, 1993, The Royal Palaces of Tudor England (Yale University Press)
    James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby)
    Brown, R.Allen, 1989, ‘The White Tower of London' in Brown, R.Allen, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p177–86
    Brown, R.Allen, 1988, ‘The White Tower of London' in B Ford (ed), The Cambridge guide to the arts in Britain. 1. Prehistoric, Roman and early medieval (Cambridge: CUP) p254–63
    Drage, C., 1987, 'Urban castles' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p117-32
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p270-1
    Parnell, G., 1983, A plan of the Tower of London in 1682 (London: London Topographical Society)
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1982, The history of the King's Works Vol4: 1485-1660 (part 2) (London) p485-90
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p309-11
    Brown, R.Allen, 1978, ‘Architectural description' Brown, R.Allen, in J Charlton (ed), The Tower of London: its Buildings and Institutions (HMSO) p38-54
    Curnow, P.E., 1978, ‘The Bloody Tower' in J Charlton (ed), The Tower of London: its Buildings and Institutions (HMSO) p55-61
    Brown, R.Allen, 1978, ‘Architectural history and development to c 1547' in J Charlton (ed), The Tower of London: its Buildings and Institutions (HMSO) p24-37
    Parnell, G., 1977, ‘Tower of London' Archaeological Excavations 1976 (HMSO) p28
    Curnow, P.E., 1977, ‘The Wakefield Tower, Tower of London' in Apted, M.R. et al (eds), Ancient Monuments and Their Interpretation: Essays Presented to A J Taylor (Phillimore) p155-89
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1975, The history of the King's Works Vol3: 1485-1660 (part 1) (London) p262-277
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Grimes, 1968, The Excavation of Roman and Mediaeval London (London) esp p47-91
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p706-729 and plate
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p68-70
    Bell, 1935, The Tower of London (London)
    RCHME, 1930, Inventory of Historic Monuments in London Vol5: East London (HMSO) p74-95 and plan
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p221-6
    Hamilton Thompson, A., 1912, Military Architecture in England during the Middle Ages (London) p120-4
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Page, Wm (ed), 1911, 'Ancient earthworks' VCH Middlesex Vol2 p1-14 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=22152
    Sands, H., 1908, in Ditchfield, Memorials of Old London Vol1 (London) p27-65
    Benham, 1906, Tower of London (London)
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p104-25
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England  (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 203-72
    Thornbury, Walter, 1878, Old and New London (Thornbury and Walford) Vol2 p60-95 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45075
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p15-32
    Bayley, 1825, History and Antiquities of the Tower of London (London)
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p182-3
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol3 p140-2
• Journal Articles
  • Miers, M., 2006, 'The king's bedchamber' Country Life Vol200.45 p74-77
    O'Regan, H., Turner, A. and Sabin, R. 'Medieval big cat remains from the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London' International Journal of Osteoarchaeology Vol16 p385-94
    Ashbee, J., 2004, 'The Tower of London and the Jewish expulsion of 1290' Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol55 p35-7
    Impey, E., 1998, 'The western entrance to the Tower of London, 1240-1241' Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol48 p59-76
    Storey, Randall, 1998, 'The Tower of London and the garderobae armorum' Royal Armouries Yearbook Vol3 http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/articles/storey.htm
    Keevil, G., 1997, 'The Tower of London' Current Archaeology Vol154 p384-7
    Thurley, Simon, 1995, ‘The Royal Lodgings at the Tower of London 1240-1320’ Architectural History Vol38 p36-7
    Hiller, J. and Keevill, G., 1994, 'Recent archaeological work at the Tower of London' Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol45 p147-81
    Tatton-Brown, Tim, 1991, ‘Medieval building stone at the Tower of London' London Archaeologist 6.13 p361-6
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p319
    Parnell, G., 1985, ‘The Roman and medieval defences and the later development of the inmost ward, Tower of London: excavations 1955–77' Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol36 p1–79
    1984, London Archaeologist 4.14 p390
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T.B., 1984, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1983' Medieval Archaeology Vol28 p233 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Parnell, G., 1983, ‘A carpenter’s mark from the Martin Tower, Tower of London' London Archaeologist 4.11 p297–8
    Parnell, G., 1983, ‘Excavations at the Salt Tower, Tower of London, 1976' Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol34 p95–106
    Parnell, G., 1983, ‘The western defences of the inmost ward, Tower of London' Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol34 p107–50
    Curnow, P.E., 1982, ‘Some observations on the planning and construction of the west curtain at the Tower of London' in Melanges d’Archéologie et d‘Histoire Médiévales en I’Honneur du Doyen Michel de Boüard (Librairie Droz) Vol27 p65-74
    Tomlinson, H., 1982 April, ‘Ordnance building at the Tower of London' History Today, 32 p43-7
    Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1982, ‘Medieval Britain in 1981' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p194 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1981, ‘Medieval Britain in 1980' Medieval Archaeology Vol25 p201 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p220
    1980, London Archaeologist, 3 p320-6
    Parnell, G., 1980, ‘The Tower of London: the reconstruction of the inmost ward during the reign of Charles II' Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society, 31 p147-56
    Parnell, G., 1979, ‘Observations on Tower Green' London Archaeologist, 3.12 p320-6
    Sturdy, D., 1979, ‘Nine hundred years of the Tower' London Archaeologist, 3.10 p270-3
    Brown, R.Allen, 1979, ‘Some observations on the Tower of London' Archaeological Journal Vol136 p99-108 [Reprinted in Brown, R.Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p163–76]
    Parnell, G., 1977 ‘Tower of London' CBA Calendar of Excavations, summaries 1976 p9
    Parnell, G., 1977, ‘Excavations at the Tower of London, 1976/7' London Archaeologist. 3.4 p97-9
    Curnow, P.E., 1977, ‘The Wakefield Tower, Tower of London' Château Gaillard, 8 p87-101
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Davison, B.K., 1967, 'Three eleventh-century earthworks in England' Château Gaillard Vol2 p40-3
    Hurst, D Gillian, 1964, 'Medieval Britain in 1962 and 1963, II. Post-Conquest' Medieval Archaeology Vol8 p255-6 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    1958, Medieval Archaeology Vol2 p201
    Blackiston, N., 1957, ‘The Great Storehouse in the Tower' Architectural Review, 121 p453
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    Harvey, 1944, Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol9 p20-35 [on main entrance]
    Braun, 1937, Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol7 p445-51 [on foundation history]
    Roth, 1934-5, Transactions of the RIBA [ser3] Vol42 p863-70 [on the White Tower]
    Sands, 1913, Archaqeological Journal Vol70 p17-32
    Sands, 1912, Archaqeological Journal Vol69 p161-72
    Peers, 1912, Archaqeological Journal Vol69 p173-82
    Hopwood, 1911, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol17 p171-82
    1900, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol6 p26-32
    Birch, G.H., 1898, 'The Two Chapels in the Tower of London' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol21 p175-89 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v021/bg021175.pdf
    Compton, 1881, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol37 p279-84
    Hugo, 1860, Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society Vol1 p211-24 [on Bell Tower]
• Guidebooks
  • Impey, E. and Parnell, G., 2000, The Tower of London: Official Illustrated History (London, Merrell)
    Chamberlin, R., 1989, The Tower of London: an illustrated history (Exeter: Webb & Bower)
    Mears, K.J.. 1988, The Tower of London: 900 years of English history (Oxford: Phaidon)
    Hammond, P., 1987, Her Majesty’s royal palace and fortress of the Tower of London (London: DOE)
    Brown, R.Allen and Curnow, P.E.. 1984, Tower of London, Greater London (HMSO)
    Hammond, P., 1981, The Tower of London Young Visitor’s Guide (HMSO)
    Hammond, P., 1978, Royal Fortress: the Tower of London Through Nine Centuries (HMSO)
    Hamilton, Hamish, 1978, The Tower, 1078-1978 (D Wilson)
    Rowse, A.L., 1977, The Tower of London (Joseph)
    Anon, 1974, The Tower of London (HMSO)
    Anon, 1961, The Tower of London (HMSO)
    Anon, 1947, The Tower of London (HMSO)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • William FitzStephen, c. 1180, 'A description of London' Translated in Henry Thomas Riley (ed), 1860, Liber Custumarum. Rolls Series,no12, vol2 p2-15 [http://www.trytel.com/%7Etristan/towns/florilegium/introduction/intro01.html#p04]
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p297-304
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Stype, John, 1720, A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster Vol1 Bk1 p59-119 http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/strype/TransformServlet?page=book1_059
    Speed, John, 1611-12, The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain [http://faculty.oxy.edu/horowitz/home/johnspeed/Cities17.htm http://faculty.oxy.edu/horowitz/home/johnspeed/Cities18.htm]
    William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/midlesexeng.html#mids7]
    Kingsford, C.L. (ed), 1908, A Survey of London, by John Stow: Reprinted from the text of 1603 Vol1 p44- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=60021