After landing in London after an eventful airport experience (shoutout 10:30 flight fam), our first excursion was visiting the Tower of London! Before visiting the Tower, I was aware that I held limited knowledge about its history and culture, but I was trying not to think about just how little I knew, mainly to avoid sounding incredibly stupid. Basically, all my history classes did absolutely nothing for me, so actually getting to immerse myself in the Tower’s history was insightful, to say the least.
The fact that the Tower of London has served as a royal palace, fortress, and prison is incredibly hard to wrap my mind around. What do you mean I was literally walking through history? How cool! Seeing the Crown Jewels, the Bloody Tower, and the White Tower consecutively proved just how significant the Tower of London truly is, and, again, just how little I knew about British history before visiting. It’s safe to say my eyes were opened, and crazy how quickly I was absorbing the information all around me. At the risk of sounding cliché, my favorite exhibit was the Crown Jewels, along with all of the many sceptres, orbs, and garments that were all a part of the Royal ceremonies. The imperial crown was just worn by the King at the State Opening of Parliament, no less than a week ago! I almost felt like I wasn’t qualified to stare at the crown, like I should give it some personal space after the legit king had just worn it.
Also, the fact that Anne Boleyn was imprisoned in the Tower in 1536 by her own husband is diabolical. Henry, you could’ve suggested marriage counseling instead of killing your wife because you thought Jane Seymour would give you a male heir. What a loser. #justiceforanne
If you’re reading this you are either my professors, my mates (see what I did there?) or my family, so welcome to my first blog post from London!!
Today’s topic is the infamous Tower of London. The best attraction here, obviously, was the bedazzling Crown Jewels. My favorite non-jewel to look at would have to be the stunningly intricate Robe Royal or Supertunica. The glittering gold and tiny details made me wonder just how long it took to make that back then. The Supertunica is made of cloth of gold and included real gold clasps, leading to the robe weighing about 4.5 pounds. My other favorite non-jewel was Princess Alice’s coronation dress. Miss Alice had good taste even in today’s standards! We aren’t supposed to take photos in the exhibit, so I’ll attach ones from the internet below!
My favorite actual jewels would have to be The Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. This is mostly due to the fact it is the most recognizable and iconic crown of the entirety of the Crown Jewels. It also helps that it is set with 2,800 diamonds(bloody hell!!!), including the 105 carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, which, the New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, essentially said they should return to India. Just a little fun fact.
Something I found interesting outside of the Crown Jewels were the ravens and what they symbolized. According to a British legend, (and Shawn, also a British Legend), the ravens inside of the Tower of London symbolize the good fortune and the safety of the Crown and the nation. If a raven ever leaves the Tower of London, the White Tower will fall, and with it will go the Crown and the nation. The ravens we saw actually had their wings clipped to keep them from escaping!
One of the most famous executions that took place in the Tower of London was the execution of Anne Boleyn. When I heard we had to write about an execution I immediately thought of her, as I’m sure a lot of people did. Anne Boleyn was the second wife of King Henry VIII and Queen of England from about 1533 to when she was eventually executed on May 19th, 1536. She was executed for supposed treason after her husband accused her of adultery and incest (which she definitely did not do, in my opinion, but you know, men ugh).
So that’s the Tower of London from my perspective! See you in the next blog!
Ravens, jewels, and friends, the three things I found most interesting and fun today! We spent the day walking around the Tower of London which is very close to our lodgings! While on the journey to the tower, I heard many British accents and sayings of “cheers”.
Upon arrival, we went straight to the Crown Jewels to beat the crowd, and good thing we did because when we came out it was wrapped around for ages! Going into the exhibit, I was in awe of all of the crowns, staffs, and orbs. It is wild to me how old the history is, and that each that is crowned is inducted through a ceremony that has been going on for hundreds of years.
After the jewels, we walked all around the Tower of London. I made my way to all of the buildings I was able to enter, but after looking at them all, I have to say that the Torture at the Tour exhibit took the cake. It was so interesting to see all of the various ways that those who were imprisoned were tortured before ultimately dying. Anne Boleyn, Queen of England at the time to her husband Henry VIII, was taken into the tower as a prisoner for charges of adultery, incest, and treason. She spent 17 days at the tower as prisoner before she was beheaded. The”memorial” for those who were killed at the tower was outside where we saw Queen Boleyn’s name carved which I pictured below.
On the way out, after spending a more than average tourist time amount at the tower, I spotted two ravens sitting side by side just as the tower would have wanted. It is said that if there are not two ravens present at the Tower of London at all time, then the city will fall. Good thing they had ravens of plenty in cages, some with clipped wings, and various tagged ones around the grounds. Before we left though, Cate and I had to snag a pic with the Beefeaters who are the guardians of the tower.
Reflecting on my experience, I am thankful to have been able to soak up all of the architecture that the tower has to offer. From beautiful stone work, chapels, MANY stairs, and fantastic views of the city, it was an unforgettable time!
The foggy gray skies of London seem to reflect the gloomy history of one of the city’s oldest structures. The Tower of London, constructed in 1066 by William the Conqueror, has historically been a symbol of power, a demonstration of the ruling house’s authority over England. From its dramatic beginnings with the Norman takeover to the tradition of beheading, it stands as a symbol of monarchic might and control. It also established examples of many governmental institutions that remain in the English system today, such as the coin and defense.
Beheading within the Tower itself was typically reserved for individuals of noble birth, a dignity that the peasantry was apparently unworthy of. One of the most notable figures executed in such a fashion was Sir Thomas More, the Lord High Chancellor of England in the early 16th century. Born in 1478, More was well-educated and quickly rose professionally to become a successful barrister and adviser. He was an avid learner and studied Catholic texts, treatises on trade, and various other subjects. His expertise and knowledge earned him a seat at King Henry VIII’s table, first as a justice of the peace, then as a member of Parliament, next on the Privy Council, and eventually the Lord High Chancellor.
More was fervent in his support and adulation toward the King until he tried to separate from the Catholic Church to secure a divorce against his wife. Thomas, devoutly Catholic, refused to aid Henry VIII in creating his Anglican Church, as was consequently ostracized and eventually resigned his position. Having exited government services, he thereafter disparaged the state and refused to endorse the Act of Succession, which affirmed the King’s break from the Church. He was subsequently beheaded for his insolence and is now classified as a saint by the Catholic Church. Who’s laughing now?
At present, there are no more beheadings fortunately, and the tower is full of artifacts, jewels, and relics of British history. I visited once before, but this time around, I forgot to walk the White Tower exhibit and instead saw the Regimental Museum. I learned more about the British armed forces than I ever thought I would know! I liked viewing the progression of their infantry through time, and I didn’t even know before that they are called the “Fusiliers.” I only knew of the RAF previously. The medal room was also a nice touch; it was interesting to see how their awards differ from ours visually and by their content.
It is interesting that, as with many relics of England’s past, the Tower now largely serves as a celebration of Britain’s history, without acknowledging the misdeeds woven in. In the torture dungeon, for example, the signage emphasizes that torture was incredibly rare and “only” 48 individuals were subject to such mistreatment. Of course, this count only includes the officially approved cases, as torture was not a legal punishment by British law. How evolved.
I also learned that there used to be a menagerie at the tower! Rumor has it, you could eat free if you brought a dog or cat to feed the lions. Watch out, Fido . . . Nowadays, the tower is animal free, save the metal sculptures of monkeys, a lion, and an elephant. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them throughout the grounds; it added a modern element to the Tower, kind of like the eclectic mix of London itself. Animals that do remain are the ravens, and what wonderful creatures they are! And well-fed by the looks of it. I also wondered if anyone in London really comes to the Tower, outside of school trips. Regardless, I know I enjoyed our visit! Ciao for now.
Tower of London, boy oh boy. So we started at the Crown Jewels exhibit, and I got a funny video with one of those guards. I don’t know how they stand so still, or what happens when they need to pee.
Anyways, going through the Crown Jewels, a few things stood out to me. First was Princess Alice’s coronation dress. Wowza, that was the most beautiful beading I’ve ever seen on a dress. I did tear up a little. The other primary thing that I noticed was the importance of thread work at the time when it came to fabric design and clothing. Usually, when a design was sewn into a tabard or banner, a meticulous border of gold lace was around it. I noticed a lot of imagery of animals such as lions and unicorns. Unicorns aren’t real, though. Idiots.
My favorite exhibit was the Wild Beasts exhibit. This went over the culture of keeping exotic animals as pets among the royal community. Apparently, they accidentally killed an ostrich by feeding it metal because they believed ostriches ate lead. Ostriches don’t eat lead, though. Idiots.
Also, many famous people were once imprisoned there, including Anne Boleyn. It was probably over something silly, but I didn’t know her personally, so I can’t speak to her character. I do know that she was one of the wives of Henry VIII and was beheaded after her imprisonment. She was beheaded due to false charges of treason after she failed to produce a male heir. Also, Henry was making eyes at Jane Seymore. Yeesh!
Overall, my highlights of the day were the detailing of fabrics and banquet dishes in the Crown Jewels, the architecture of the doors, and the ravens walking around. What are you doing walking around, dude? You’re a bird.
How are we doing today? I’m writing all the way from the loveliest spot in the world, LONDON! With flight delays, historic tours, engaging theatre, and gorgeous views, this week has already been off to an exhilarating start. On our first full day we started off the day with a tour of the Tower of London. The tower is right in our backyard, so it was only about a 5-10 minute walk to get there.
The Tower of London campus contains many joyous, and some not so joyous things. The first thing that we saw were the Crown Jewels. This building was devoted to the rituals and ceremonies of the royals. My personal favorite of the objects in the building was Queen Victoria’s crown (Peter and the Starcatcher reference). It was the smallest crown in the place, and I learned that she had it made so that she could wear her veil with it after the death of her husband. This building was very insightful into the ritual aspect of royal culture. The amount of ornate objects that they had were insane. I also learned that the objects were real. Apparently they had been gone for an event the day before.
Next I visited the Bloody Tower. In this building I saw Walter Raleigh’s study. Walter Raleigh was a prisoner in the Tower of London, but he was Elizabeth’s favorite explorer, so he had special accommodations. The atmosphere was incredibly eerie and dark. This was definitely intentionally done with lighting, but it was vastly different from the building with the Crown Jewels. The most interesting part of the Bloody Tower was the story of the two princes. There were two princes who were the sons of King Edward IV. The older of the sons, Edward V, was going to take the throne after his fathers death. He and his brother ended up going missing one day after being seen playing in the garden, and they were never seen again. After this, Richard III became king. This mystery is still unsolved to this day.
Another feature of the Tower of London is the Ravens that inhabit the premises. They say that if the Ravens leave, then London will fall. We saw many ravens there, and were told to keep a meter of distance as the ravens do have a tendency to bite. I got pretty close to one, and it started squawking, but you know, I have to get the pic. Shawn also told us that apparently one raven flew away from the premises 5-6 years ago, but that has been brushed over in the lore of the Tower of London.
Lastly, I went into the Torture Room. There were three different devices. The rack, the manacles, and the scavenger’s daughter. The rack has three wooden barrels with rope attached to them. The person is placed on a table, and then has rope attached to their hands and feet. They then get stretched out by their limbs. The manacles are an iron cuff that suspends the person in mid air and puts excruciating pressure on their wrists. The scavenger’s daughter was the most common torture device. It’s a steel device that keeps the person in an incredibly uncomfortable kneeling position.
After the Tower of London, Milly, Erin, and I got lunch. We went to food trucks right outside, I got loaded fries with shredded beef. It was good, but definitely overpriced. Lastly, we finished the day by seeing the Mousetrap. It was a gripping story with incredible performances by the actors. Overall, it was a great first day!
The Tower of London was the first historical location we visited, about a 5 minute walk from our flats. The first exhibit we looked at was the crown jewels, which displayed a beautiful dress that Princess Alice wore. It had beautiful embellishments of beads and pearls along the skirt, it was my favorite piece displayed there. My favorite exhibit was in the Bloody Tower about Sir Walter Raleigh and the Lost Princes. I love recreations of historical rooms, it feels very immersive and I like it more than just reading a block of text next to a picture. Being in the dark secluded room evoked feelings that Raleigh might have experienced himself. Here we also learned about the murders of Prince Edward V and Prince Richard. This was the most interesting part of the entire tour for me. I had never heard the story before, but I was so curious to learn more about it. I found it so interesting that they had discovered two bodies under the White Tower in the 1600’s that likely belonged to the boys but they couldn’t do forensic testing so they couldn’t conclude if it was them. We then went to the torture exhibition where we saw “The Rack” and “The Scavenger’s Daughter.” Along with all the ravens that occupy the Tower of London Grounds, there was an eerie air that surrounded the entire area. The Tower is the center of a lot of despair and death in England’s history, the more I thought about it, the more I felt the darkness that surrounded me. So I went and got a crepe. It was from one of the food trucks outside of the Tower. It had mozzarella and pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. It was very delicious.
These past few days in London have been so so special! After a long day of travel, bag issues, delayed flights, and trauma bonding, we finally arrived at our flats!
Thursday morning we started our first tour of The Tower of London. We started by entering the Crown Jewels section which is home to a collection of 23,578 gemstones that are part of the Royal Collection and still used in royal ceremonies today. The exhibit features pieces such as coronation dresses, royal staffs, dining sets and so much more. My absolute favorite part was Queen Camilla’s coronation robe, it was a gold cloak covered with hand stitched colorful jewels in the shape of flowers- it also had a matching bejeweled sword (I’ll try to find a picture online since we weren’t allowed to take pictures in there.)
After we left the Crown Jewels exhibit we went up towards the outside of the tower which they called the “wild beasts” area. We learned that the tower was once home to a bunch of beasts that were given to the royal family as gifts. The most common kind being Lions. There were a lot of really interesting facts like how the king once had a polar bear he attached to a leash and let it go in the river on it to fish. Overall though it doesn’t really seem that the animals were cared for well at the tower and eventually left and joined the now London zoo in 1861!
Afterwards, Milly and Thatcher went and explored the bloody tower which might have been my favorite area in the tower. We got to see some ravens who were literally the size of chickens and I even got a video of one squawking! The Bloody Tower was where famous poet Sir Walter Raleigh’s study resided. He was one of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era, who was known for playing a leading part in the English colonisation of North America. He was actually such a “high class” prisoner that he even had his own garden and servants. The Tower is also home to a murder mystery (which was perfect to learn of right before seeing MouseTrap in the evening.) The supposed murder is of the 12-year-old Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, in 1483. Tradition says that they stayed in these rooms on the orders of their uncle, the future Richard III, until one night when they disappeared. The prince’s disappearance remains one of the most intriguing stories of the Tower’s history. The rumours are actually why the tower was renamed the ‘Bloody Tower’ from the Garden Tower.
Finally we went to the White Tower where they had a bunch of armour on display, the best part though was this absolutely gorgeous chapel.
I think the most interesting thing I’ve learned so far about the British culture is just how royal everything is LOL. Monarchies are so interesting to me and it was really cool to see how that all worked and shaped the society in the UK.
We ended this packed day with seeing our first show on the West End, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, which was such a funny and perfect murder mystery to end the night!
I had such a fun and interesting experience at the tower of London. I learned so much information surrounding British history with many artifacts and places to explore. We went through The Crown Jewels, The Chapel Royal of St. Peters and Vincula, The Bloody Tower, Torture rooms, The White Tower, and had a British inspired lunch at the café.
We started our day together walking through The Crown Jewels getting an up close and personal look at several different crowns, scepters, swords, dresses, and diamonds, all with historical information that I was very interested to learn and experience.
We then walked through different parts of the tower and got to learn about the types of beasts they used to keep there for entertainment and gifts to the monarchy. These animals included baboons, lions, tigers, polar bears, and many others that surprised me how many animals from different places they all kept at the tower together. We learned how the people in charge did not know how to properly care for the exotic animals and had many casualties.
We explored The White Tower after this which displayed horse sculptures and knight armor from past kings and the stories tied to each exhibit. We also explored The Chapel Royal of St. Peters and Vincula shortly after this and got to experience the history that happened within the walls including executions of many people whose bones are still buried under the grounds to this day.
The Bloody Tower was next on the places we wanted to explore and my favorite out of all the places we went to through our tour. We learned about how two young princes were captured, held in the tour and presumably murder by their uncle for him to become king, in other words, the origin for William Shakespeare’s Hamlet! I thought that was the most interesting piece of British history that I found during my visit to the tower of London.
We closed off the tour after a visit to The Torture Room where we got to see the different torture devices that were used to crush or stretch people during this period. I had such a great time learning everything and would most definitely experience this tour again.
After a daunting airplane experience that left us all jet lagged and relying on caffeine to survive, we landed in London and got some much needed sleep.
Starting off this trip with the Tower of London was such a fun beginning! Walking through the halls and the tiny doorways thinking about not only the architecture of the walls and ceilings but also about how it’s been preserved is incredible. I thought it was really interesting how they would keep lions not just in the tower, but they’d let them walk around, and people would come and tour the tower with the lions walking around. And it wasn’t just lions, but also porcupines and snakes and alligators, aka my nightmare. Surely, it only went perfectly and no one was every harmed at all.
While I didn’t get any pictures of any of the Crown Jewels, I thought that they were amazing.
It was also super interesting looking through the White Tower with the carved horses and King Henry VIII’s armor. I loved seeing the different variations in his gauntlets depending on what weapons and tools he would be using and the armor of his horse. Transitioning from King Henry VIII, my absolute favorite part of the tour was seeing The Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, where the three queens Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Jane Grey are buried. Both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were married to King Henry VIII and were both executed for charges against adultery. Their bodies are buried in tombs in the crypt beneath the chapel, and as much as I wished I could have gone in to explore more, I was not allowed. Again, the architecture was beautiful and the sanctity of the chapel was still present, even after all of these years.
I also loved going up the Bloody Tower, where it is rumored that King Richard III held and killed his nephews, the would-be King Edward V and Richard, his brother. While the skeletons of two children were found buried beneath the castle, there is no concrete proof that they were killed by King Richard III, but I think he did.
Walking through London has hands down been the greatest part of the trip, walking through the streets and finding small shops, it’s absolutely brilliant! (But I said it in a British accent on accident and got looked at funny.)
