A Chronology of the Tower of London

Much of the physical remnants of the Roman Wall have been lost, but at the Tower of London there are two exceptional survivals with much more hidden below ground. The earliest is the Wardrobe Tower, the lowest section of which is formed of the remnants of a Roman bastion.

Another visible survival is a section of the riverside wall, which was the last element added to the defences of Londinium. We are not sure why the wall was built, as it severed the city’s connection to the river - which means that at this point trade mattered less than defence.

The Wakefield Tower housed the King's apartments and is an important example of the development of royal lodgings at the Tower, which once sprawled across the area to the south of the White Tower including a hall, kitchens, chapels and apartments, known as the 'Inmost Ward'.

The Lanthorn Tower, initially built as the Queen's apartments, evolved to become part of the the Kings lodgings. The building was badly damaged by fire in the eighteenth century before being demolished. The current tower was rebuilt in the nineteenth century.

Within his new outer ward Edward I founded the Royal Mint, which became the centre for the creation of coinage within England. Though no archaeological evidence has yet been found for the Medieval Mint, spectacular remnants survive from the Tudor period.

This exceptional survival is an assaying forge, likely dating to the sixteenth century. Used to test the purity of precious metals prior to minting, this forge enabled Mint officials to regulate the quantity of gold or silver in any given coin.

During the reign of the Stuarts, the administrative function of the Tower expanded dramatically, resulting in the repurposing of many buildings as lodgings and offices. This is clearly seen through 4 & 5 Tower Green, which stand next to the King's House.

These residences were built in 1680 on the site of stables related to the King's House. Though many of the buildings constructed during this period have been demolished, archaeologically recording those that survive helps us to better understand life in the Stuart Tower.

By the middle of the nineteenth century the perception of the Tower had begun to change from a garrison, storehouse and foundry to a site of historic importance. In the latter half of the century Anthony Salvin and John Taylor led the process of re-medievalising the fortress.