Inside the Tower

By James Bartholomew and James Bartholemew

The Tower of London-fortress, palace, prison-has been witness to some of the greatest and saddest events in English history. Kings and Queens have lived and died (or been murdered) there; rebels have attacked it; thieves have stolen the Crown Jewels, which are kept there; and it has housed some of the most distinguished prisoners ever incarcerated, among them Samuel Pepys, William Penn, Sir Thomas More and Sir Walter Raleigh.
In this lively and comprehensive guide, James Bartholomew takes the visitor through the Tower and all its mysteries-the buildings, the history, the ceremonies, the Crown Jewels, and even the ravens, without which legend tells us the Tower will fall. The book is beautifully illustrated with 90 of Bartholomew's photographs in full color, and clearly divided into sections for easy reference. The definitive guide to the Tower for visitors and armchair travelers alike.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561310069
• ISBN13: 9781561310067
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: New Amsterdam Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.7" x 1.1" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Next Best Thing to Being There

Here is an excellent tour of the Tower of London. It starts with a beautiful illustration of "Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London", then launches into an overview of the Yeoman Warder Guided Tour. All of the towers are reviewed and the most interesting items are described in detail. There are superb photos of the architecture, people, and items found there - not to forget the ravens! The author also covers little-known lore, and gives a brief history. If you've been to the Tower and didn't get a copy at the time, get one now. If you've never been, you'll find this informative and enjoyable. If you're going, get a copy first, and you'll know what places you will especially want to see. This is much, much better than the standard tourist guide. Highly recommended! For reference, here's the brief introduction by Major-General (retd) Christopher Tyler, CB, Resident Governor: "In any guide book, especially one which aims to cover such a long period of our history, it is always a problem of what aspects to include and how to describe them. It is also difficult to catch the true atmosphere of the Tower; too many people concentrate on its role as a prison, forgetting that for 700 of its 900 years it was not, primarily, a prison. "James Bartholomew has tacked these problems with two valuable weapons - his camera and his boots! The former he has used with a successful mixture of art and science to produce a whole range of excellent shots; if pictures are worth a thousand words, the reader of this book is getting a thesis. The other weapon, his boots, have become a familiar sight in the Tower; James has walked many miles all over our 18 acres, talking to many of us who live and work here, exploring the remote corners and getting the `feel' of this living place, Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, The Tower of London. -signed-"