Tower of London

Crown Jewels of England were once kept at Westminster Abbey. Following their theft in 1303, they were moved to the Tower of London and have remained there ever since. Incredibly, the items stolen from the Abbey were recovered within days after being discovered in the window of a London jeweller's shop.

However, much of what is on display today differs from the collection stolen 700 years ago. Oliver Cromwell melted down most of the royal regalia during the English Civil War. Charles II replaced most of the destroyed items when the monarchy was restored in May 1660,. This new collection included St Edward’s Crown, which continues to be used in coronation ceremonies.


Last week Garry and I took his parents to see the Crown Jewels, along with other sights at the Tower of London. The Tower is an amazing place. Its oldest structure, the White Tower, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. Today’s it’s the oldest surviving building in London. History has it that William built the tower to impress the locals as much as to protect his victorious Normans from harm. Upon completion it remained a royal residence until Oliver Crowell’s day.


The crowds were certainly out in force on Saturday. We found ourselves joining a mass throng taking part in one of the Beefeater’s ‘complimentary’ tours. With more than 900 years of history to cover, the stories we heard were many and varied.

My favourite tale was that of Thomas Culpeper, executed after committing adultery with Catherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII. His fate was apparently sealed by Catherine’s last words before she herself was executed. “I die a Queen, but I would rather have died the wife of Culpepper." So much for slipping away unnoticed by the blood-thirsty crowd.

Traitor's Gate

We saw all of the usual tourist highlights including Traitor’s Gate, the infamous Ravens and carved graffiti from prisoners held in Beauchamp Tower. Some of the graffiti dates back to 1569. One name that caught my eye was Philip Howard, the 20th Earl of Arundel. He was incarcerated in the Tower in 1585 after being accused of treason. His name stood out because Garry and I toured his house last September. His final digs weren't as luxurious.


As expected the crown jewels were fabulous. While not as spectacular as the Tsar’s armory in the Kremlin, they are impressive. The Cullinan Diamond in the royal scepter is every bit a big as its record status implies - a stunning 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g). However, the item that caught my eye was the 500 pound solid gold Grand Punch Bowl. This is no ordinary punch bowl. You could drown a young adult in it, while the weight could hold back a scrum of All Black forwards.


Viewing the jewels is almost an adventure in itself. Visitors are transported past the most precious items using a slow moving conveyor belt. The belt is a great idea, ensuring that everyone gets the same viewing time. I recall that the crowd was impossible 17 years ago during my first visit to the Tower. A definite improvement, with the option of going around again. Rhonda and I did so three times. You can never have too much 'bling' in life.

All in all we had a great afternoon reliving more of London’s colourful history.