This is one of the most interesting buildings in London. If the Tower on London could only talk, it could tell most of the history of England from the time of William the Conqueror. One part is said to have been partly built by Julius Caesar. The Tower for centuries was the chief state prison of England. Here were kept the prisoners who were traitors or who were disliked by the King or Queen. Here, too, these prisoners were put to death. In one of the cells Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned by King James. Raleigh carved his initials on the walls of this cell, and these are still to be seen. It was here he wrote his History of the World. You remember he was finally beheaded by King James. Dukes, earls, counts-men of all ranks-have been thrown into this prison, and many of them never came out alive. The Tower is on the Thames River, and one of the gates to it on the river is called Traitors' Gate. Through this gate state prisoners were taken into the Tower. The Tower is now used as a barracks. There are stationed here soldiers called The Yeomen of the Guard. They wear the costume of King Henry VIII, and are generally termed "beef-eaters." In the Tower also are kept the jewels of the King and Queen and the robes used at the coronation. Here, too, are many fine relics such as suits of armor, swords, guns, the headsman's axe and block, etc. One of the sits of armor is that of the Earl of Leicester, the man who figures so largely in Scott's Kenilworth. What prisons do you know in your state? Read Dickens' Tale of Two Cities for a good story of prison life. Keystone ID: 2111 Note: All titles, descriptions, and location coordinates are from the original Keystone Slide documentation as supplied by the Keystone View Company. No text has been edited or changed.