Arriving in London during our July 2025 trip to England was fantastic and number one on our lists of sites to tour was the Tower of London. We decided, since there is so much history here and and so many places to see within the premises, we would take a guided tour. We chose Viator’s Tower of London Tour with Crown Jewels. While booking we had the option of meeting with a Beefeater or touring the White Town. We decided on the White Tower tour and it was one of the best parts of the tour.
History
The Tower of London was founded in 1066 after the successful battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror. In 1076, he built the White Tower, utilized as a central keep, to show how powerful his Norman Kingdom was. Most noted for its role as a prison, torture, and execution place.
The Tour
We arrived at the meeting spot and met our guide. Our guide was a good historian and had lots of stories to tell us. He definitely was well learned on the subject of the London Tower, its history, buildings, and stories. It was a crowded day so quite hard to snap good photos.
The White Tower
As I mentioned before the White Tower was one of the best parts of the tour. This is where the Royal Armouries of the past are displayed. You will see 500 years of British armour, and weapons of kings and knights.
Line of Kings
In this area is the display of fourteen Kings of England. Created in 1689 from a special commission of life-sized 14 wooden horses and riders. These riders were dressed in period arms and armour which have been stored in the White Tower to make up the Line of Kings. Of course this Line of Kings has changed over the years and the current display includes some of the most impressive items of these times.
The Chapel of St John
Built for William the Conqueror in the 11th century, this chapel was the place of worship for kings and queens throughout centuries. Today the chapel has occasional services.
Tower Armouries
The tower armories have been displaying the armour since 1659. It is a splendid collection of ancient armour. I found this area to be very interesting and well displayed.
Store House
Historically, this is the area where weapons were stored waiting to be issued to England’s military when needed. Now it displays many of these weapons.
More Photos Inside the White Tower
The Crown Jewels
Of course, you can not take photos in the building where the Crown Jewels of Great Britain are on display. Personally, I could have skipped this exhibit. The jewels are absolutely beautiful, but the crowd made getting close to the displays challenging.
Lower Wakefield Tower
This was my least favorite part of our tour. Actually our tour guide suggested to self tour after the group tour was over. He told ghastly stories of torture and also imprisonment that I could have done without hearing. I won’t go into detail but you can google one story here but fair warning, it is awful.
Wakefield Tower
Built by Henry III during the 13th century, as a royal residence, t became part of the Medieval Palace.
St Thomas Tower
St Thomas Tower was built between 1275-1279 by Henry III son, Edward I. In addition, it is part of the Medieval Palace complex. This tower includes the original fireplace and also King Edward I bedchamber.
More Photos Inside the Tower of London’s Walls.
Although our tour guide discussed pretty much everything we saw, some of the areas we toured on our own after the group tour was over. Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed the tour, I just don’t remember everything we were told. There is a lot to explore here. As always, we enjoyed walking around the tower walls and also the views.
Conclusion
All in all the Tower of London is an amazing place to tour. Personally, I enjoyed the White Tower the most. The history of this tower is amazing and it is easy to picture what life was like in medieval times, although I am sure it was much harder than we can imagine in our modern world. Definitely a must see when visiting London.
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You can find my other posts on England below:
Sopwell House in St Albans-July 2025
Bletchley Park Codebreakers: A Family Connection-July 2025
Two Delightful Villages in England-July 2025