London Past Papers Tower Of London Flashcards
What was the former name of the Bloody Tower?
The Garden Tower
As the rumours surrounding the Princes in the Tower grew, the tower was renamed the ‘Bloody Tower’ fromthe Garden Tower.
On whose orders was the moat drained and filled with earth in 1843?
BY THE 1840S THE MOAT SMELT SO BAD THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON WAS FORCED TO DRAIN IT
Between 1843 and 1845, an outbreak of a deadly infection caused by poor water supply at the Tower was linked to the ‘obnoxious smell’ and ‘putrid animal and excrementitious matter’ of the muddy moat when the tide was out.
The Duke took the momentous step of having the moat drained and turned into a defensive dry ditch, or ‘fosse’.
The Tower’s moat has been dry (except for accidental flooding) ever since.
Which military organisation is responsible for royal gun salutes on the Wharf?
The salute at the Tower of London is fired from four twenty-five pounder guns located on Tower Wharf facing the River Thames, bythe Honourable Artillery Companyat 1pm.
According to legend, what is the minimum number of ravens to be kept in the Tower?
The Tower must always maintain at leastsixRavens within its walls to prevent the catastrophic fall of the kingdom. Today, there are seven resident birds at the tower.
At what time precisely are visitors admitted under escort into the Tower to see the Ceremony of the Keys?
21.30 precisely
Visitors will be admitted tothe Towerunder escort at21.30precisely. Late arrivals will not be admitted. The meeting point for the Ceremony of the Keys is the main entrance to the Tower of London, West Gate. The ceremony concludes at 22.05 after which all visitors are escorted to the exit.
Name the last person executed in the Tower.
On 15 August 1941, Josef Jakobs was the last person to be executed by firing squad at the Tower, having been found guilty of spying for Germany during the Second World War.
During whose reign was the Royal Observatory established at the Tower?
The Royal Observatory was founded byKing Charles IIin 1675 and eventually became known as the ROG. On 4th March 1675 John Flamsteed was appointed by royal warrant to become ‘The King’s Astronomical Observator’, the first Astronomer Royal, with an allowance of £100 a year.
At whose execution on Tower Hill in 1747 did a stand collapse killing 9 people?
Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat,
nicknamed ‘The Fox’.
The day of his execution, 9 April 1747, saw many spectators arrive atTower Hill, and an overcrowded timber stand collapsed, leaving nine spectators dead, to Lovat’s wry amusement.His laughter at this incident, even as he was beheaded, is said to be the origin of the phrase “to laugh one’s head off”.
In whose reign were the outer walls and current moat constructed?
Edward I
The inner curtain wall was added under Henry III, and the outer curtain wall and moat under Edward I.
What is commemorated on 21st May every year in the Wakefield Tower?
A short service of remembrance, known as The Ceremony of the Liliesand the Roses, is held every 21 May, to commemorate the fact that Henry VI, England’s so-called “saintly king”, died at the Tower of London in 1471.
On the night of 21 May 1471,Henry VI died while imprisoned in the Tower of London, possibly murdered while praying in the Wakefield Tower.
Which regiment is responsible for royal gun salutes on Tower Wharf?
The salute at the Tower of London is fired from four twenty-five pounder guns located on Tower Wharf facing the River Thames, bythe Honourable Artillery Companyat 1pm.
In whose crown is the Koh-i-Nur diamond to be found?
The Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
The Koh-i-Noor diamond weighs 105.6 carats. It was once much larger but was re-cut in 1852 to improve its brilliance and conform to contemporary European tastes. The Koh-i-Noor was set in the Crown ofQueen Elizabeth the Queen Motherin 1937.
Which building in the Tower do we associate with both Guy Fawkes and Rudolf Hess?
Hess was captured and taken to the King’s House atthe Tower of Londonon 17 May 1941, where many prisoners had been interrogated, including Guy Fawkes. Lodged under the tightest security, he was questioned for four days until he was removed from the Tower.
Who is the current Constable of the Tower?
General Sir Gordon Messenger
The Constable appointed in 2022 isGeneral Sir Gordon Messenger.
In which tower is there graffiti carved into the walls by the Dudley family?
TheBeauchampTower.
Visitors to the upper chamber can see an intricate carving depicting a plant for each man – roses for Ambrose, carnations (known as gillyflowers) for Guildford, oak leaves (robur in Latin) for Robert and honeysuckle for Henry.
What is the name given to the technique of creating a pattern in metal armour using acid?
Etching
Acid etching is a well-known, ancient and reliable industrial process that uses various commonly available mordant acids and chemical compounds.
Similar to engraving, a mechanical process, the chemical process of etching entails the cutting of decorative patterns into metal using a mild acid. The artist would cover the surface with an acid-resistant coating of paint or wax, and then scratch the desired decoration into the coating. A weak acid was applied, and the decorative pattern (or its background) was etched into the metal’s surface wherever the coating had been removed. Visual contrast could be enhanced by application of a dark substance, such as lampblack, into the recessed areas, or by gilding the background.
Who was Constable of the Tower from 1825 to 1852?
Pethaps the most famous Constable wasArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, who served from 1825 to 1852.
During his tenure, the royal menagerie and record office were removed and many buildings were restored to their medieval state. The moat was drained and converted into a parade ground.Yeomen Warderswere no longer permitted to buy and sell their places but were to be drawn only fromsergeantsin the Army. To His Grace’s displeasure, tourism at the Tower increased during his Constableship.
Each Constable is now appointed for five years. The new Constable is handed the keys as a symbol of office. On state occasions the Constable has custody of the crown and other royal jewels.
Name any TWO of the ravens.
The names of our current Tower ravens are;Jubilee, Harris, Poppy, Georgie, Edgar, Branwen and Rex.
What are the rules for guiding in the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula?
?
Which (future) Queen of England
was the only one to leave the
Tower, having been imprisoned
there?
Elizabeth I
Elizabethwas taken to the Tower the next day and imprisoned for two months. During this time Elizabeth did not crack under interrogation and continued to protest her innocence. Without enough evidence to put her on trial, she was eventually released and placed under house arrest at Woodstock, Oxfordshire.
Which TWO Kings died in the Tower?
Henry VI
possibly Edward V though this is unknown due to his disappearance
Jane the ‘Nine Days Queen’
Which King had the moat
excavated, and developed the
Great Hall and Chamber into a
palace?
Henry III?
How many carats is Cullinan I?
530.2 carats
Cullinan I, or the Great Star of Africa, is a pendeloque-cut brilliant weighing530.2 carats(106.04 g) and has 74 facets. It is set at the top of the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross, made in 1661, which had to be redesigned in 1910 to accommodate it.
For which event at a medieval tournament would you have used a lance?
The joust (aka ‘tilt’).
What do you call a fortified tower
within a castle, usually built on top of the raised motte?
A Keep
Which year is traditionally given for
the start of construction on the White Tower?
It is traditionally held that construction began in 1078.
