The Tower: The 20th Century
The Tower: The 20th Century
The First World War
(1914-18) left the Tower largely untouched; the only bomb to fall on the
fortress landed in the Moat. However, the war brought the Tower of London back
into use as a prison for the first time since the early 19th century and
between 1914-16 eleven spies were held and subsequently executed in the Tower.
The last execution in the Tower took place in 1941 during the Second World War
(1939-45). Bomb damage to the Tower during the Second World War was much
greater: a number of buildings were severely damaged or destroyed including the
mid-19th century North Bastion, which received a direct hit on 5 October 1940,
and the Hospital Block which was partly destroyed during an air raid in the
same year. Incendiaries also destroyed the Main Guard, a late 19th-century
building to the south-west of the White Tower. During the Second World War the
Tower was closed to the public. The Moat, which had been drained and filled in
1843, was used as allotments for vegetable growing and the Crown Jewels were
removed from the Tower and taken to a place of safety, the location of which
has never been disclosed. Today the Tower of London is one of the world’s major
tourist attractions and 2.5 million visitors a year come to discover its long
and eventful history, its buildings, ceremonies and traditions.
There is more of
London's history in the Tower than anywhere else. Most of the publik displays
are in White Tower,begining on the entrance floor with the Hunting and Sporting
Gallery. Here may be seen a great variety of specialized weapons developed for
for use in the hunt. The croun Jevels had for many years been kept in the
Wakefild Tower but sinse 1967 have been houzed in a specially construkted
strongroom below the Waterloo Barracs. Here is probably the world's largest and
most valuable collection of jevels and gold plate.The yeoman warders or
"Beefiters" as they are often called are found at the Tower of
London. Wearing dark-blue tunics with red braid (a uniform given to them in
1958), they are probably some of the most photographet men in Britain --
thousands of tourists visit the Tower every year.
The Beefeaters, all
ex-army men, are used mainly as guides. They are also involved in the security
of this historic building.
Ravents have lived
in the Tower from its very btginning over 900 years ago and only so long as
they are here will the White Towe stand...
In Her Majesty's
Royal Place and Fortress of the Tower of London they are said to hold the Crown
itself and should they ever leave the Tower, the Crown and England will fall.
But they have never left, and from the reign of King Charless II 300 years ago
and, they have been under Royal protection.
There are four
territories within the Tower, each of which is ruled over by a pair of adult
ravents in each area, thought they might stay to theyr neighour's patch from
time to time.
No other historic
monument in English can boast such as unbroken continiuty with the nation's
heritage. The Tower's great sense of history lives on in its traditions and
particulary in the ceremonies which are still performed here virtually
unchanged after several centuries.
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