The Tower of London began with William the Conqueror in 1078 and has been extended and improved upon over the last 900 years. Henry VII built the last permanent royal residential buildings at the Tower. He also extended his own stay area and added a new private chamber, library and a long gallery. His son, Henry VIII, put up a large range of lodgings here around the time of the coronation of Anne Boleyn in 1533. Famous prisoners held here include Elizabeth I, Sir Thomas Moore, and Sir Walter Ralegh.

It has been a place of royal residence, treasury, armory, prison, fortress and jewel house. It is now the home of Yeomen Warders, Crowned Jewels and flightless ravens. Legend has it that King Charles II was told that if ravens ever left the Tower, then the Kingdom would fall. So Charles made sure that a number of ravens were always kept there– and it’s still there, to this very day.

Beauchamp Tower in Tower of London:

Henry III and his son, Edward I, are responsible for building the Beauchamp Tower in 1275. The name is attributed to Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, who was held prisoner there under Richard II in 1397. The three-story tower was a place for prisoners of higher status.

This included the Dudley’s, who were imprisoned there once Mary I claimed the crown in 1553. John Dudley, the Duke of Northumberland and Edward VI’s protector, were thrown into the Tower along with his sons, John, Ambrose, Henry, Robert and Guildford. Only John and Guildford were executed; the rest were released.

What is interesting to note is that the Dudleys are a direct descendent of Thomas Beauchamp: John’s mother, Elizabeth, was the great-great-great granddaughter of Richard de Beauchamp, Thomas’ son.