Tower of London Timeline

(1066 - Present)

The Tower of London is a historic fortress and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central England. Founded by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of 1066, it has served as a royal palace, prison, armory, treasury, menagerie, and the home of the Crown Jewels. It remains one of Britain's most iconic landmarks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More Less

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Construction and Origins

William the Conqueror begins White Tower construction

1078

Following the Norman conquest of England, William the Conqueror ordered the construction of the White Tower, a massive stone keep intended to dominate the city of London and subdue its Saxon population. Built from Caen stone imported from Normandy, it became the centerpiece of what would grow into the Tower of London.

Image source: White Tower (Tower of London)

White Tower completed

1097

The White Tower was completed around 1097 under William II, known as William Rufus. Standing approximately 90 feet high, the fortress served as a royal residence, a symbol of Norman power, and the most imposing building in London at the time.

Construction of the Inner Ward walls

1190 - 1199

During the reign of Richard I, chancellor William Longchamp expanded the fortress by building an enclosure wall around the White Tower, creating the inner ward. This was part of Richard's efforts to fortify the Tower while he was away on crusade.

Image source: Tower of London

Tower besieged during First Barons' War

1215

During the First Barons' War, rebel forces besieged the Tower while it was held by King John's men. The siege demonstrated the Tower's strategic importance in controlling London, though the fortress held out until the conflict's resolution.

Image source: First Barons' War

Henry III expands the Tower with new defenses

1238 - 1272

King Henry III undertook major expansion of the Tower, adding a curtain wall to create the outer ward, constructing new towers including the Wakefield Tower, and whitewashing the keep. He also enhanced its role as a royal palace with luxurious chambers and a menagerie.

Image source: Henry III of England

Henry III expands the Tower with new defenses

Edward I completes massive Tower refortification

1275 - 1285

Edward I carried out the most extensive building program in the Tower's history, spending over £21,000. He added a second curtain wall with towers such as Beauchamp Tower, dug the St Thomas' Tower water gate later called Traitors' Gate, and filled the moat.

Image source: Edward I of England

Great Fire of London threatens the Tower

Sep 1666

The Great Fire of London destroyed much of the medieval city but stopped just short of the Tower of London. Garrison commander Lord Lucas ordered buildings pulled down around the Tower to create firebreaks, protecting the ancient fortress from the flames.

Image source: Great Fire of London

Royalty and Prisoners

First lions arrive at the Tower menagerie

1204

King John is recorded as keeping lions at the Tower around 1204, beginning the royal menagerie that would house exotic animals for over 600 years. The collection grew under successive monarchs and became one of London's earliest tourist attractions before moving to London Zoo in the 1830s.

Image source: Menagerie

Death of Henry VI in the Tower

May 21, 1471

Deposed king Henry VI died in the Tower of London on the night Edward IV reclaimed the throne after the Battle of Tewkesbury. Contemporary accounts suggest he may have been murdered, though official explanations blamed melancholy or natural causes.

Image source: Henry VI of England

Princes in the Tower disappear

1483

Twelve-year-old Edward V and his brother Richard of Shrewsbury were lodged in the Tower by their uncle Richard III and were never seen alive again. Their disappearance remains one of history's greatest mysteries and fueled centuries of speculation about their murder.

Image source: Princes in the Tower

Execution of Anne Boleyn

May 19, 1536

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was executed by a French swordsman on Tower Green after being convicted of adultery, incest, and treason on dubious charges. Her death marked one of the most infamous episodes in Tudor history.

Image source: Anne Boleyn

Execution of Catherine Howard

Feb 13, 1542

Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard, was beheaded on Tower Green after being convicted of treason for her pre-marital affairs. She was buried near her cousin Anne Boleyn in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula.

Image source: Catherine Howard

Lady Jane Grey imprisoned and executed

1553 - Feb 12, 1554

Lady Jane Grey, the 'Nine Days Queen', was imprisoned in the Tower after Mary I took the throne. She was convicted of high treason and executed in February 1554, becoming one of the Tower's most tragic royal prisoners.

Image source: Lady Jane Grey

Elizabeth I imprisoned in the Tower

Mar 18, 1554 - May 19, 1554

Princess Elizabeth was confined in the Tower of London for two months, suspected of involvement in Wyatt's Rebellion against her sister Mary I. She entered through Traitors' Gate but was released after evidence against her failed to convince Mary.

Image source: Elizabeth I

Gunpowder Plot conspirators imprisoned

Nov 1605

After the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators were interrogated and imprisoned in the Tower. Fawkes was tortured, reportedly on the rack, and signed a confession revealing the plot against James I and Parliament.

Image source: Guy Fawkes

Execution of Walter Raleigh

Oct 29, 1618

Sir Walter Raleigh spent 13 years imprisoned in the Tower, during which he wrote 'The History of the World'. After a disastrous expedition to find El Dorado in Guiana, he was executed at Westminster, having been returned to the Tower beforehand.

Image source: Walter Raleigh

Last execution on Tower Green

1747

Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat, a Jacobite leader convicted of treason after the 1745 rebellion, became the last person beheaded on Tower Green in 1747. His execution drew a huge crowd, one section of which collapsed, causing deaths.

Image source: Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat

Modern Era

Royal Mint established at the Tower

1279

The Royal Mint was formally established within the Tower of London in 1279. Coins for the English realm were struck there for centuries, making the Tower a vital center of the kingdom's economy until the Mint moved out in 1812.

Image source: Royal Mint

Moat drained by Duke of Wellington

1830

As Constable of the Tower, the Duke of Wellington ordered the moat drained in 1830, converting the stagnant waterway into dry ground. This modernization reflected changing military needs and improved sanitation around the fortress.

Image source: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

Royal Menagerie moves to London Zoo

1832 - 1835

The Tower's famous menagerie, home to lions, bears, and other exotic animals for centuries, was gradually relocated to the newly founded Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park between 1832 and 1835, ending the tradition of animals kept at the fortress.

German spies executed during World War I

Nov 1914 - 1916

During World War I, eleven German spies were captured in Britain and shot by firing squad in the Tower's rifle range, marking the return of executions to the fortress after more than a century.

Zeppelin raid damages the Tower

Oct 5, 1915

During World War I, a Zeppelin bombing raid on London damaged buildings within the Tower of London. The incident showed that even the ancient fortress was not immune to the aerial warfare of the twentieth century.

Rudolf Hess briefly held at the Tower

May 1941

Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess, who flew to Scotland on a solo peace mission in May 1941, was briefly detained at the Tower of London, becoming one of its final high-profile prisoners before transfer elsewhere.

Image source: Rudolf Hess

Josef Jakobs becomes last prisoner executed

Aug 15, 1941

Josef Jakobs, a German spy parachuted into England, was captured and shot by firing squad at the Tower on August 15, 1941. He was the last person ever executed at the Tower of London.

Image source: Josef Jakobs

Kray twins imprisoned for dereliction of duty

1952

Notorious East End gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray became among the last prisoners held in the Tower when they were detained there in 1952 for failing to report for national service, shortly before the Tower ceased functioning as a prison.

Image source: Kray twins

Kray twins imprisoned for dereliction of duty

Tower designated UNESCO World Heritage Site

1988

The Tower of London was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its outstanding universal value as a medieval fortress-palace, its role in English history, and its architectural significance spanning nearly a thousand years.

Crown Jewels and Ceremonies

Thomas Blood attempts theft of Crown Jewels

May 9, 1671

Irish-born adventurer Colonel Thomas Blood attempted to steal the Crown Jewels from the Martin Tower by disguising himself as a clergyman. He nearly succeeded but was captured; remarkably, King Charles II pardoned him and even granted him land.

Image source: Thomas Blood

Jewel House rebuilt for Crown Jewels display

1841 - 1842

A new Jewel House was constructed within the Waterloo Barracks area to house the Crown Jewels, which had first been put on public display in the seventeenth century. The purpose-built structure improved security for the nation's most precious regalia.

Image source: Jewel House

Ravens legend and care formalized

1880

By the late nineteenth century, the legend that if the ravens left the Tower the monarchy would fall was well established. Official raven masters were appointed to care for the birds, cementing the tradition that continues today with seven resident ravens.

Image source: Ravens of the Tower of London

Major refurbishment opens new Jewel House exhibition

1994

A £10 million renovation transformed the display of the Crown Jewels, creating a modern exhibition with moving walkways allowing millions of annual visitors to view the regalia up close. The revamped Jewel House greatly boosted the Tower's popularity as a heritage attraction.

Image source: Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom

Key Facts

The Tower of London was founded in 1066 by William the Conqueror following the Norman conquest of England, with the White Tower completed around 1078.
Throughout its history, the Tower served as a notorious prison, holding famous figures such as Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More, Guy Fawkes, and the 'Princes in the Tower.'
The Tower has housed the Crown Jewels of England since the 14th century, and they are still displayed there today under armed guard.
The fortress was guarded by Yeoman Warders, popularly known as 'Beefeaters,' who have served at the Tower since the reign of Henry VII.
Legend holds that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, the kingdom will fall; today, ravens are kept there under the care of a designated Ravenmaster.

Source

This Tower of London timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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