Tower Beach: a short history
Tower Beach was 'born' on 23 July 1934 when King George V granted the children of Stepney and London 'free access forever' to the foreshore of the Tower of London.
The beach was opened by the Lieutenant of the Tower and the Bishop of London. It was a seaside getaway in the heart of the city.
1,500 bargeloads of sand
Funded by the Tower Hill improvement Trust, more than 1,500 barge loads of sand were deposited on the edge of the Thames next to the Tower.
Within the first five years, more than 500,000 people visited the beach - a remarkable figure considering its relatively modest size, and the fact it could only be opened for a few hours on certain days owing to the tides.
A hub for children and families
The beach was a hub for local children and families for almost four decades. It finally closed to the public in 1971 with rising pollution levels cited as the major reason.
In recent years the beach has been opened two days a year for National Archaeology Weekend.
Thousands of people have come to Tower Wharf, and many climb down the stairs to the beach looking for treasures or to reminisce about the beach's glorious past days gone by.
