#London Visit ~ The Tower #TowerofLondon #LondonTower

I’ve been so busy these last few weeks since we returned from our London trip, I never got around to posting about our fabulous visit to London Tower on our last day.  My excuses include gearing up for a new release (HAUNTED SOULS is out in 7 days!  Electronic formats are up forPreorder – do you have your copy ordered?) and participating in a multi-author book signing weekend (all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11 – 8!) at the Artist Shanties at Hyannis Harbor. 

View of The London Tower from the tube station

But I did want to share pictures and facts about London Tower, since I learned so much!  It was especially interesting to me since I was in the middle of reading a fantastic trilogy on The Wars of the Roses by Conn Iggulden, so seeing the actual places where some of the events happened was surreal.

We arrived at Tower of London via the Tower Hill tube station right in time for a tour by one of the Beefeaters (the nickname of The Yeoman Warders of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London), which was very informative and entertaining.  After that, we did some exploring on our own, even leaving for a while to have lunch at Borough Market and returning for more.  I’ve included photos of some of the highlights, although there is too much to see to record it all!

The paved area with the circular glass
monument marks the spot where Anne
Boleyn and other royals were executed.

A monument sits on the paved area on the green where Anne Boleyn was executed. Executions inside the Tower walls, away from the public spectators, were reserved for royalty and nobility found guilty of crimes. Another of Henry VIII's wives and Lady Jane Grey were also executed here by decapitation.

Nearby, the White Tower still stands, originally built by William the Conqueror in the late 11th century.  Inside, there are four floors to explore...the Royal Armouries collection includes incredible displays of arms and armor.  On the top floor you'll find a block and axe believed to be the one used in 1747 for the last public beheading, up on Tower Hill outside the fortress. 

The White Tower, built 11th century

The Tower ravens are kept here as well, in the area known as the Mews, although some were wandering the grounds.  Legends say six ravens must be on the grounds at all times or the Tower and the entire Kingdom will fall. They keep two extra just to be safe. We were also able to view the Crown Jewels, but no pictures are allowed of that display.  Needless to say, it’s a truly amazing sight.

We saw the actual room where the young princes (and heirs to the crown) were held captive by Richard III. They disappeared, and their fate is a mystery, but Richard III was then crowned King.  Also recreated was a replica of the medieval chamber of Edward I. Wakefield Tower, 13th century.  We also saw the spot where Henry VI was killed.  He was imprisoned in the Tower during the Wars of the Roses.

Replica of the chamber of Edward I in Wakefield Tower

It was another long but incredible day!  Our others adventures are chronicled in my posts Stonehenge and Soccer, The Churchill War Rooms and London Eye, and The Catacombs of Paris and Eiffel Tower.  There’s so much to see and of course we didn’t manage it all, but I think we made the most of our five days there!  

#London Visit ~ Churchill War Rooms + #LondonEye #ChurchillWarRooms

A view of Buckingham Palace from
St. James's Park in London

As a writer, I obviously love to write, so I'm chronicling our recent trip to London here on my blog. Days 1 and 2 included attending a Chelsea v. Manchester City Football (soccer) match and a day trip to Stonehenge--that post can be found here.  On our third day, we began with a long and scenic walk through Green Park and St. James's Park to visit the London Dungeon. Not to be confused with actual dungeons in the London Tower, this exhibit is a tourist attraction highlighting some of the darker history of London (the plague, Jack the Ripper, Guy Fawkes, etc.).  I'm a big fan of spooky stuff, and of rides, which were part of this attraction.  It was fun take on history and interactive, with enthusiastic actors. However, my kids had a little trouble understanding some of the thicker accents.  They did enjoy when I got selected to get my tongue ripped out (I hid in a room and got to scream, until I couldn't anymore, because, you know...no more tongue).

Somehow my photo of the London Eye even
appears spooky, but I didn't use a filter or
change the colors...it was just a gray day!

From there we rode the London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel above the Thames River.  We were able to see the city spread out before us from a maximum height to 443 feet.  There are 32 viewing capsules on the wheel, one for each of the London Boroughs.  After lunch, we made our way back toward Mayfair via Hyde Park, and then visited The Churchill War Rooms.  This was an absolute must-see--so much so that I neglected to take any pictures!  I was that enthralled with literally being inside an underground time capsule from WWII. This compound beneath the Treasury building in Westminster was created as the threat of war in Europe loomed, and finished only days before the invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939.  Britain declared war on Germany two days later.  When Winston Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940, he decided he would direct the war from the Cabinet Room down there.  That room and the Map Room were key sites in the structure that housed an entire community for years.  It's truly incredible to picture all the leaders and staff involved in a war effort living together under the city, working under the threat of a direct bomb hit, communicating with the most advanced technology of the times with other world leaders.  And this museum does make it possible for visitors to picture this period in history.  In addition, there is a wing devoted to Winston Churchill's life.

A day well spent!  Next up is our adventure in Paris, including the Catacombs!  Thanks for stopping by.

Parliament from atop the London Eye