Londoner About Town: Londoner About Town At Tower Of London

When I moved to London two years ago I promised myself that I would use my spare time to see the city through the eyes of a tourist and not take its rich (and often dark) history for granted.

Last month G and I arrived at Tower Hill underground station on a Sunday afternoon intending to spend a couple of hours wandering around the iconic Tower of London. The queues for tickets made it clear that the Tower is very much on the "Must See" hit list of London's tourists.

You can save yourself time and buy your tickets on-line here and, it is worth noting that, if you are a resident of Tower Hamlets you may be eligible to visit for just £1.

Throughout the day it is possible to take a tour given by one of the Tower's 30-odd Beefeaters. These tours last an hour and are well worth it. It requires 22 years of military service (and various medals) to become a Beefeater and it seems, from my experiences, that they spend that time honing their dry wit. No one who joins such tours is safe from the rapier like barbs that will be used to add levity to the sprint through the Tower's thousand year history.

The tour takes great pride in its gory focus on the six beheadings that took place within the Tower's walls and your guide will point out the spot on which they lost their heads (now marked by an elegant sculpture).

The bodies were interred in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula.

When the tour finishes you are free to explore the Tower. G and I found ourselves running out of time (and we'd allowed 2 hours).

Obviously, no trip to the Tower would be complete without a view of the Crown Jewels, but the exhibition on offer in the White Tower is engaging and thoughtfully laid out.

Last summer G and I attended the Tower's Ceremony of the Keys and, if you have the opportunity, it is well worth the effort. The Ceremony is the traditional locking of the Tower's gates that takes place at 10 o'clock every evening. You will see the Chief Warder being escorted with armed guards as he locks the main gates. As the party returns along Water Lane they are challenged by the sentry on duty. Following the challenge, the group then marches away. The spectators follow (at a brisk march) through the the Bloody Tower Archway allowing them to listen to the Last Post and watch as the Beefeaters march off into the night. The history and significance of the ceremony will all be explained by your guide when you arrive at the Tower.

Here are a few of our photos from our recent visit:

Thankfully the ravens seem content.