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 tower of london -
beefeater by dvideira
Another attraction at the Tower are the Yeoman Warders or Beefeaters, dressed in distinctive uniform, they provide classic photo opportunities, and also perform tours.
( The name Beefeaters comes from the French word - boufitirs. Boufitiers were guards in the palace of French kings. They protected the king's food ).
Every night for the last 700 years the Tower has been locked up in the Ceremony of the Keys.
( At 21:53 each night the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower, dressed in Tudor uniform, sets off to meet the Escort of the Key bedecked in the well-known Beefeater uniform. Together they tour the various gates ceremonially locking them, on returning to the Bloody Tower archway they are challenged by a sentry and must announce themselves before passing through the arch. A trumpeter then sounds the Last Post before the keys are secured in the Queen’s House ).
Much much more fun than the changing guards at Buckinghan Palace...
Opening Times : 09:00 (10:00 Sunday) to 18:00 (1 hr earlier Nov, Dec)
Tickets:
Gate price:
adult £13.50; children £9.00; student (with ID) senior citizen (60+) £10.50; family ( up to 2 adults and 3 children ) £37.50
There are better prices for booking by phone
Information line: +44 (0)870 756 6060
Just a little bit of curious information on the Beefeaters...
A so-called Beefeater's official title is:
"Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London and Member of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary."
and...
There are two versions for the name "Beefeaters":
1. The name "Beefeaters" comes from the French word - boufitirs. Boufitiers were guards in the palace of French kings. They protected the king's food ).
2. The erroneous nickname "Beefeater" probably dates back to the time when Yeoman Warders were given a daily ration of meat. (Records show, that in 1813, the daily ration for the 30 men on duty was a remarkable 24 pounds of beef, 18 pounds of mutton, and 16 pounds of veal.) Leave a Comment
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 tower of london by dvideira
The Tower of London has protected, housed, imprisoned and been for many the last sight they saw on Earth.
It has been the seat of British government and the living quarters of monarchs ... the site of renown political intrigue, and the repository of the Crown Jewels ... It has housed lions, bears, and (to this day) ravens ... not to mention notorious traitors and framed members of court, lords and ministers, clergymen and knights.
The Tower of London houses a collection of Jewellery, displayed for the public. It is a practice introduced by King Charles II who wanted to impress his subjects. The collection includes the Imperial State Crown, covered with no less than 3250 splendid precious stones. It was made for Queen Victoria for who the 2.2 kg weighing St. Edward's kings crown was too heavy. Another must-see collection in the Tower of London is the Royal Armories. This museum can claim to be the oldest museum displayed in England. The collection includes the armories of king Hendrik VIII, one of the largest armories in the world. The Royal Armories also include Asian and Islamic weapons, among them an elephant shield, confiscated in 1757 in India. Leave a Comment
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 One of the world's most
historical sites by iandsmith
Trivia - When you're walking up the marble steps, just remember an Aussie (of Italian descent) made those. Read "Rusconi's masterpiece" in my Australia pages for confirmation.
If it's medieval architecture you want, you won't be disappointed. If it's history you want, tombs and monuments proliferate within these walls.
In fact, the place is half church, half museum and the lines are inevitably blurred between the two.
Coronations of all royalty have taken place here since 1066. There are tombs of kings and queens and other famous figures of history. There are memorials to literary greats, household words throughout the English speaking world.
Yes, it may well be crowded, but you must see it.
This is a picture of the classic stonemason's work above the main entrance at the West Front Towers. The devil is in the detail. Then again, it could be the disciples! Leave a Comment
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 Bloody war! by irisbe
He was blamed for the many casualties during 1916-1917, but is appointed to be responsible for the final counter-offensive in 1918, followed by the victory for the Allies.
Earl Douglas Haig was the son of a rich whiskey distiller. He studied at Oxford, took part in the Boer War (1899 - 1902) and at the end of 1915, at the age of 58 he was appointed to go to the war at the West front. Despite his long career and experience, the trench war was a quite different (and hard) way of warfare.
In 1916 at Verdun he lost 700 000 men in 5 months time due to an offensive of the Germans.
He then tried to force an opening into the front at the Somme. It would become the bloodiest battle ever : more English soldiers died then did in any previous war. It earned Haig the title 'Butcher of the Somme', because he unnecessarily sent thousands of British troops to their deaths…..
And that is the reason why I wrote this tip in blood red.
I had comments a part of the info (about the war fare) is not a 100 % correct. I hope to find some time to check it out. Leave a Comment
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HORSE GUARDS where the trooping of the colour takes place and beyond the old Admiralty buildings.
The Royal Horse Guards (RHG) was a Household Cavalry regiment of the British Army.
Founded in 1650 by Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of King Charles II. As the regiment's uniform was blue in colour at the time, it was nicknamed "the Oxford Blues"; hence the Royal Horse Guards was also nicknamed the "Blues." In 1750 the regiment became Royal Horse Guards Blue and eventually, in 1877, the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues).
In 1918, the regiment served as the 3rd Battalion, Guards Machine Gun Regiment. During the Second World War the regiment served as part of the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment.
The RHG was amalgamated with the Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) to form the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) in 1969.
HORSE GUARDS PARADE is used for the "TROOPING OF COLOUR" in june. Leave a Comment
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 Lloyd's Bank facing at
the Royal Courts of
Justice by pedersdottir
First, St. Clement Danes, Central Church of the Royal Air Force. It is a minor masterpiece by Sir Christopher Wren. Then Lloyd's Bank, representing centuries of English trade and mercantile exchange around the world. It faces the Royal Courts of Justice, separated by a sliver of road and a monument to Queen Victoria and her Prince Albert. There are sufficient historical connections along this 100 meter stretch to provide half a dozen prospective PhD's with dissertation material, don't you think? Leave a Comment
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Downing Street is the world-famous street in central London which contains the buildings that have been, for over two hundred years, the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers, the First Lord of the Treasury (an office held by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an office held by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The most famous address in Downing Street is 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury--and thus, in modern times, the residence of the Prime Minister, since the two roles have been filled by the same person.
Downing Street is located off Whitehall in central London, a couple of minutes' walk from the Houses of Parliament and on the edge of the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The street was built by and named after Sir George Downing (1632-1684). Downing was a soldier and diplomat who served under Oliver Cromwell and Charles II. In the service of the King he was rewarded with the plot of land adjoining St James's Park upon which Downing Street now stands. The Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Chief Whip all officially live in houses on one side of the street. Leave a Comment
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 The towering column on
another gloomy London
day. by iandsmith
Erected in 1842, 14 stonemasons actually held a dinner on the flat top just before the Nelson part was added. The impassive lions, located at its base, were an afterthought 25 years later.
With the National Gallery, the fountain, South Africa House and the Grand Buildings on the south side, there is much to distract the eye.
The area is populated heavily and noted for its pigeons but humans are apt to demonstrate here and, if you want to avoid crowds, don't come here on New Years Eve!
Here's a bit of trivia for you. St Martin-in-the-Fields is a fairly well known church at Trafalagar Square though the present one, completed in 1726, was built over an earlier 13th century version. Architecturally speaking, its influence has spread far and wide, particularly in the United States where it became a model for Colonial Style churches. However, should you be waiting to hear the chimes from its historical and melodious bells, you should be listening in Perth, Western Australia, where they were given as a gift and now are housed in a special and unique building by the shores of the Swan River. Leave a Comment
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 Tyburn Manor House by alucas
At the dissolution of the monasteries (1535-40), the land passed to the crown and the northern half of the region became a royal hunting park (now Regent’s park), the manor house opposite the church (at the ‘Marylebone Road’ end of the High St.) was converted into a hunting lodge by Henry VIII and large pleasure gardens were built behind it by 1650. Leave a Comment
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I was a member of the affiliated organisation in Australia so when I came here I was able to use my membership to visit excellent places/buildings/treasures found in locations all over the UK maintained by this wonderful organisation.
Many wonderful stately homes, historic homes and sites have been bequeathed by people or families to ensure better care or just to stay in a national organisation that will use the property for the general public to enjoy. Membership costs about £43 a year which covers entrance fees to all places and free car parking and goes towards the funds needed to keep this organisation and also acquire properties if an opportunity comes onto the market. This fee is well worthwhile for such an excellent organisation that has such a vast array of properites in its holding and such a range of historic and special places to visit.
An excellent guidebook of all its properties, many shown in colour photographs, is published and mailed out each year with all the information you will need - opening times, special exhibitions or garden seasons, transportation and access.
Ive visited excellent places around the London area - Winston Churchill's home at Chartwell, Scotney Castle, Igtham Mote, Sheffield Park Gardens, Sissinghurst Castle and Gardens, Mottinsfont Abbey - with the most beautiful rose garden Ive ever seen!, and the list goes on.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk Leave a Comment
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