The Tower of London is a castle located in London alongside the River Thames which was first built by William the Conqueror from c. 1077 and significantly added to over the centuries. Often referred to in England as simply 'the Tower', it has served as a fortress, palace, prison, treasury, arsenal, and zoo.
More about: Tower of LondonDefinition
Timeline
-
c. 1078 - c. 1100The White Tower of the Tower of London is built, a project begun by William the Conqueror.
-
1097William Rufus converts the palisade circuit wall into stonework at the Tower of London.
-
1190 - 1200The Bell Tower is added to the southwest corner of the circuit wall of the Tower of London.
-
1240The stained glass windows are added to the Chapel of St. John in the Tower of London.
-
1240The White Tower of the Tower of London is given a coat of white lime, hence its name.
-
1296 - 1299John Balliol, King of Scotland, is imprisoned in the Tower of London by Edward I of England.
-
Aug 1324Roger Mortimer, rival to Edward II of England, escapes from the Tower of London using a rope ladder.
-
Sep 1399Richard II of England is imprisoned in the Tower of London by Henry Bolingbroke.
-
1455Richard, Duke of York imprisons his rival the Earl of Somerset in the Tower of London.
-
Jul 1465The fugitive ex-king Henry VI of England is captured in Lancashire and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
-
21 May 1471Henry VI of England is murdered in the Tower of London.
-
18 Feb 1478George, Duke of Clarence, the brother of Edward IV of England, is murdered in the Tower of London.n
-
1483Richard III of England imprisons and then likely murders the two young sons of the late Edward IV, the 'Princes in the Tower'.
-
1506A garden is added to the Tower of London.
-
1534 - 1535Sir Thomas More is imprisoned in the Tower of London prior to his execution.
-
2 May 1536Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII of England, is confined to the Tower of London.
-
19 May 1536Anne Boleyn, Queen of England and second wife of Henry VIII of England is executed at the Tower of London.
-
Feb 1542Catherine Howard is accused of adultery and executed in the Tower of London.
-
12 Feb 1554On the orders of Mary I of England, Lady Jane Grey is executed in the Tower of London.
-
17 Mar 1554Mary I of England detains her half-sister Princess Elizabeth (future Elizabeth I of England) in the Tower of London on suspicion of treason.
-
Aug 1592 - Sep 1592Sir Walter Raleigh is imprisoned in the Tower of London for marrying in secret a lady-in-waiting of Elizabeth I of England.
-
1603 - 1616Sir Walter Raleigh is imprisoned in the Tower of London on charges of treason against James I of England.
-
29 Oct 1618Sir Walter Raleigh is executed at the Tower of London.
-
1696Isaac Newton is appointed the warden of the royal mint in the Tower of London.
-
1699Isaac Newton is made mint master at the royal mint in the Tower of London.
