Jewel Tower Moat -- Westminster, London, UK
N 51° 29.912 W 000° 07.561
30U E 699478 N 5709182
The remnants of the moat that once surrounded Jewel Tower have been excavated and are now on public display near Westminster Palace
Waymark Code: WMT6M0
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/04/2016
Views: 12
When Jewel Tower was built in the 1300s, a moat was an essential component of the defense, and had the secondary beneficial use of being a ready supply for food for the kings meals.
A historic marker at Jewel Tower Reads as follows:
"THE JEWEL TOWER
The Jewel Tower was built for King Edward III and 1365-66 by Henry Yevele, “the deviser of the King’s works of masonry.” It formed part of the king’s palace and was designed as a private treasury.
The walls are mainly built of Kentish Ragstone from Maidstone. Other stone came from Reigate, Beer (Devon), and Caen (France), while timber for the roof came from Surrey. The windows were of highly decorative glass protected by iron grilles.
To give the lower Tower better protection (and provide fish for the king’s table), it was surrounded by a moat. This was constructed in July 13 66 and took 23 navvies 10 days to dig. The water came from a ditch leading directly into the River Thames.
From 1621 the Jewel Tower was used for the storage of parliamentary records and by the end of the century it is likely that the ditch and the moat had been partially filled in.
In 1869 it became the centre for the Board Of Trade’s Standards Department, which tested standards of weight and measure."
Type: Remnant
Fee: No
Hours:
10am-6pm Daily
Related URL: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Original photographs showing additional views of the Ruin/Remnant or even just its current condition are encouraged. Please describe your visit, especially if no additional photos are available. Did you like the Ruin or Remnant? What prompted you to see the Ruin or Remnant?