At 10.00am on Thursday 10 April, the dramatic winning entry of the Tower of London’s Hung, Quartered and Drawn! competition will be unveiled, realised at a size of 15m by 23m on scaffolding sheeting covering the east face of the iconic White Tower. Highly visible in order to remind over 2million visitors a year and millions of passing Londoners of the drama, intrigue and significance of the White Tower’s stories and history, the drawing by artist Rydal Hanbury from St. Albans will also protect the White Tower’s 1000-year old stonework as the £2m, 3-year crucial conservation project on three of the tower’s faces takes place. 

Performing many roles over the centuries, from royal apartments to prison, the 90ft high and 107ft wide White Tower was begun in 1078 by William the Conqueror and today is home to unique royal arms and armour including that of Henry VIII, as well as being the heart of the Tower of London World Heritage Site.

Whilst the skilled conservation work takes place, we will be providing unique chances to get up close to this amazing structure:
• A programme of learning opportunities will support the work, including work-based training placements, archaeology-in-view for students and adult learners, visitor access during the Open House weekend in September and an academic conference
• An online blog at http://www.hrp.org.uk/ by the White Tower Project Manager will give readers insights into the day-to-day management of this enormous conservation project 

Major General Keith Cima, Resident Governor of the Tower of London, explained: “We are pleased to announce today two significant contributions to Historic Royal Palaces. Man Group plc has become the exclusive Premier Partner of the Tower of London from 2008 until 2011, coinciding this year with their 225th anniversary. In addition, Man Group plc Charitable Trust  has made a generous pledge to support the conservation of the White Tower, one of Europe’s most significant 11th century buildings. We look forward to delivering in 2012 a fully conserved and re-presented exterior to the White Tower, as a shining symbol of Britain for the London Olympiad and beyond.”

Peter Clarke, CEO, Man Group plc, and Chairman of Man Group plc Charitable Trust, commented: "In 1783, in the shadow of the Tower of London, James Man, an entrepreneurial barrel maker, founded the company which still bears his name. Even in those days the White Tower was a world famous landmark. As James Man's successors and the Tower's close neighbours we are delighted to have been given the chance to support the excellent restoration and related philanthropic works being planned by Historic Royal Palaces and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership."

The east face will undergo conservation until October 2008 and the north face and west face will be cleaned over the following two years. The south face was cleaned in 1997.

The Hung, Quartered and Drawn! drawing competition was held in conjunction with The Prince’s Drawing School.