Tower of London

The Tower of London is one of the capital's best known and most popular visitor attractions. Originally built by William the Conqueror to subdue and intimidate the local population, the oldest part of this medieval fortress dates from 1078. It was built to withstand attack and siege. The White Tower, in the centre of the fortification, has walls that are 15 feet thick at the bottom tapering to 11 feet in width at the top.

Although used by royalty as a residence, the Tower also has a dark and bloody history. It was here that the little princes were said to have been murdered on the orders of their uncle, Richard III. The building where their dead bodies were discovered was called the Garden Tower but thereafter was known as the Bloody Tower. In the same period Richard's brother, the Duke of Clarence, was tried and found guilty of treason. He was imprisoned in the Tower and died there. He was said to have been drowned in a vat of Malmsey.

Perhaps Henry VIII is most responsible for the Tower's infamous image. His second wife, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded on Tower Green as was his fifth wife, Catherine Howard.

It wasn't only inconvenient wives that were executed in the Tower during Henry VIII's reign. Because he wanted to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, to marry Anne Boleyn and the Pope would not annul the marriage, he split from the Church of Rome. English priests were required to swear an Oath of Supremacy to the new Church of England and Henry's position as the head of it. Some refused. Amongst these were Thomas More and John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, who were both imprisoned in the Tower and then executed. Thomas More was told that the King had decided to be merciful and More would not be hung, drawn and quartered as a traitor but instead would be beheaded. He said, "God forbid the King shall use any more such mercy on any of my friends."