Tower of London (Part 2)

The Tower of London is the oldest landmark in London. It consists of a group of structures which are built around the central White Tower in the 11^th century. It was begun by William the Conqueror on 1078. The Tower of London served as a fortress, a palace, a zoo, a royal mint and a prison. Today it is a national monument and museum.

Many people have been locked in the Tower. In 1483 the boy-king Edward V and his brother, the Duke of York, were imprisoned and soon disappeared. English statesman and humanist scholar Sir Thomas More was imprisoned in 1534 when he refused to conform to the Act of Supremacy. He was found guilty of treason and beheaded. He was canonized in 1935 as St.Thomas More.

Among the famous prisoners were Anna Boleyn (1507-1536), the second wife of Henry VIII (1491-1547), Elizabeth I (1533-1603), when she was a Princess, the favorite of Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh. Spies were imprisoned here during the wars.

Some prisoners could live in comfortable rooms and receive visitors. Others were locked in freezing cells and were tortured. There have been successful escapes from the Tower. The first escape was made by Ranulf Flambard. He climbed down using a rope, which have been smuggled to him inside a wine barrel. Many prisoners were publicly executed on Tower Hill, and privately on Tower Green. In the Tower Armory there is a block and axe used for a beheading in 1747.

In 1671 an attempt was made to steal the Crown Jewels by Captain Blood who was later pardoned by Charles II. Sing organized the raid to raise the money.

The Crown Jewels are kept in the Jewell House at the Tower. The collection includes Saint Edward’s Crown, used for the coronation ceremony, the Imperial State Crown, containing 3000 jewels, and the biggest cut diamond in the world, the ‘Star of Africa’.

The Beefeaters guard the Tower. They used to be monarch’s private bodyguard. ‘Beefeater’ was a nickname for well-known servants. Every night at 9.53 p.m. the Chief Warder of Beefeaters lights a candle lantern and makes his way towards the Bloody Tower. He locks the gates and then goes with his Escort to the Tower. At the Bloody Tower Archway they are halted by the sentry.

‘Halt’, he commands.

‘Who goes there ?’

The Chief Warder answers, ‘The keys’.

The sentry demands ‘Whose keys’.

‘Queen Elizabeth’s keys’, replies the Chief Warder.

‘Advance, Queen’s Elizabeth’s keys; all’s well’, commands the sentry.

The ceremony of the key dates back 700 years. In 1941 despite the bomb blast the duty was completed.

4.1 Answer the following questions after reading the text ‘Tower of London’:

1. What is the oldest landmark of London ?

2. When was the White Tower built ?

3. Who began the construction of the White Tower ?

4. What did the Tower of London serve ?

5. What is the Tower today ?

6. Who was imprisoned in the Tower of London ?

7. What conditions of living were there in the Tower of London ?

8. Who managed to make the first escape from the Tower of London ?

9. What do you know about Beefeaters ?

10. Who are ‘Queen Elizabeth’s keys’ ?

11. What does the ceremony of keys date back ?

12. Was the ceremony completed in 1941 despite the bomb blast ?