A site that has been on my bucket list to see for many years is the Tower of London.
Steeped in rich history it is the backdrop of many books and movies.
Situated alongside the Thames River the Tower has played an important part of the history since the time that it was originally built by William I “the Conqueror” in 1077-1097. It’s hard to even comprehend something centuries and centuries old. Once surrounded by a moat it was built to tower over the surrounding countryside and itimidate the citizens with a show of power and wealth.
The moat is long since been filled in and has been used for many different purposes.

At one point animals were being brought from all over the world to be presented to the king as gifts.
These sculptures have been made from wire, are life sized and are beautifully detailed.

English royalty use to have many castles that they traveled around the countryside to stay at. The royal household would be up to 700 people, all of which traveled with them. All their furnishings and belongings also traveled with them. A whole bedroom setup like this replica would be packed up and restaged at the next castle.

Immediately off the kings bedroom is an altar for their personal use.

But while they traveled they carried with them these mini altars that are about 4 inched tall and 12 inches wide that they would use for their devotions.

Because the household was so large, with so many people, there were many children that lived in the household, other than royality. Those children would have to have small, portable toys to travel from location to location. This is a small toy knight on a horse that once belonged to one of these children.

The Tower is still a working castle and there remains a residence for the queen with a guard in attendence. As a side note, although the guards that stand guard both at Buckingham Palace and the Tower wear the fur hats all year long their coats change, red in the warmer months and grey during the cold months. Their shoes make a noise on the pavement like tap shoes or clogs.

Probably the most famous events that the Tower is remembered for during it’s more than 900 years as a fortress, palace and prison is the 8,500 prisoners and most notably the six that were executed inside of it. Of those 4 were at the command of Henry VIII.
In a beautiful grassy site once stood the scaffold site. It now features a sculpture which holds a, what looks like glass, pillow and the perimeter of the circle in which it sits is engraved.

There still remains a community of Yeoman Warders and their families within the walls of the Tower. They live, work and raise their children and grandchildren on site.
Looking over the edge of the interior wall of the Tower you see built along the exterior wall housing. They have a doctor, church, pub, all within the walls. We were told that if you see laundry hanging (not in January) that it is indeed their own personal laundry.

I just couldn’t get enough but it is getting dark and the Yeoman’s are closing all access to the buildings and we are being asked fo leave. My legs feel like bloody stumps because we have spent the entire day lost in the moment, just absorbing all the richness of the history.
Outside the Tower is lit and it is hard to imagine that so much life, loss, happiness happened all within the walls of these 18 acres over so many centuries of time.