The Bloody Tower was first built during the reign of Henry III as a watergate for the Tower, opening directly onto the Thames. In the reign of Edward I the river was pushed back and the gate became a land gate.
The name Bloody Tower first appears in documents in the 16th century. The name commemorated a tradition that it was in the tower that the two ‘Princes in the Tower’ were murdered in 1483.
Other famous prisoners of the Bloody Tower include Archbishop Cranmer and Sir Walter Raleigh (for whom the present top floor was added in 1605-6).
Scheduled project works
Timings: began in Summer 2007
Scheduled works:
- minor modifications to the roof structure
- replacement of lead roof covering
- stone conservation and repair at parapet level
- adaptations to the lighting gantry and safety works
