The thing about London is, well, one can be walking down the street and come across a 14th-century tower tucked in between modern buildings. I’d noted this historic building before, during one of my random perambulations in Westminster. Today, it was open for visitors, so I popped in. From behind, it had a lovely view across the street to Westminster palace, where the Victoria Tower appeared brilliant on this pretty spring day.
The Jewel Tower “was built in the 1360s as a secure store for royal treasure within the private palace of Edward III. Later it became the records office of the House of Lords, surviving the fire which in 1834 destroyed much of the historic palace. Later still, it served as a testing facility, determining the value of weights and measures for Britain and its empire. From the 1950s demolition of nearby buildings, landscaping works and archaeological investigations have brought to light important features of the tower’s setting.”
It’s not a large place, but I enjoyed exploring the exhibits about its history, including the impressive 1621 iron door above. See more in the gallery!
David Kotz 