Tower of London history

[mallory]

What guarded the Tower of London before 1789 ?

[acw]

http://www.camelotintl.com/tower_site/warders/index.html

That site just suggests that Yeoman Warders have always done the job. 

[Grunty]

The Yeoman Warders take the credit for guarding the Tower, but everyone knows that it is really guarded by the ravens.  Tradition says that the Monarchy will fall if the ravens leave.  The French Revolution began in 1789.  Is it possible that you have read a reference to the Tower being guarded by the ravens at a time when the British monarchy must have had a few sleepless nights?  (I think the ravens were at the Tower before that date).

[jake-the-peg]

There was a Zoo at the tower of London I think it may have been disbanded around then.

It could have been the moat but that was drained in the 1830s

[banjowizard]

i don't know who guarded the tower but the ravens have apparently been there before roman times.

[Octavius]

The Yeoman Warders are descended from the ancient band of warders who, from early in the Tower's history, had the responsibility for guarding the gates and royal prisoners. From the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47), these duties were carried out by the King's Yeomen at the Tower who were entitled to wear the royal livery - a version of which is still worn. The uniform that most visitors see today is the blue undress uniform introduced in 1858 and worn as the Yeoman Warders' normal working dress. The red and gold state dress is only worn for special occasions, ceremonies, church parades and when royalty visits the Tower. Modern Yeoman Warders (of whom there are about 40) are still Extraordinary Members of the Queen's Bodyguard and are all former warrant officers from Her Majesty's Forces with an honourable service record of at least 22 years.

As well as the Yeoman Warders, the Tower is guarded by a military guard detailed for duty from the same regiments that guard Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace.

[mallory]

Thanks Octavius,  but the question specifically asks for WHAT ,   and it gives the date of 1789.   I just cannot locate that date to a particular event in that year to do with the Tower of London, except that the French Revolution began.

[jno]

The moat, perhaps. In 1789 they cut a channel through from it to the river so river water could stop it silting up. (Didn't work and was filled in again in 1802.) From the official history. That doesn't seem a wholly satisfactory answer, though.

[Octavius]

Unfortunately it could be anything from wardens, moats, ravens, lions and additional towers.  The official site of the Tower of London (not the one above, this one: http://www.hrp.org.uk/webcode/tower_home.asp) doesn't give any indication of any changes to the defences in 1789.

If you find out, let us all know!

[jno]

Octavius, the official history I quoted is - gasp - a book! (They used to print these things on paper, I recall my grandpappy mentioning.) Not a scholarly treatise, it's actually the official illustrated history and I think I got it at the Tower bookshop.

[Octavius]

I wasn't discrediting your answer Jno, just saying that no-one above seems really certain of the answer.  I await with baited breath, the correct one though, wherever the source comes from.  Books are so last year.

[jno]

last year? This book is last century. In fact, it came out in the very same millennium the Tower was built, so it's practically a primary source; and the moat business seems to be the only thing it lists for 1789.