Scheduled Monuments›England›Tower of London

Tower of London

England

List entry 1002061

Nation

England

The designation

Reference

List entry 1002061

Authority

Historic England (NHLE)

Status

Scheduled Monument

Scheduled area

7.42 hectares

Grid reference

TQ 33585 80570

Boundary

Scheduled area

Overview

History & significance

Tower of London is a historic fortified complex founded by William the Conqueror in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of 1066, initially constructed as a military stronghold to control the City of London and the Thames. The site is dominated by the White Tower, a stone keep begun in the 1060s and completed in the early twelfth century, which remains one of the finest examples of Norman military architecture in England. Over subsequent centuries the complex expanded significantly with the addition of multiple towers, curtain walls, and defensive structures, transforming it into one of Europe's most formidable fortifications. The Tower has served variously as a royal residence, state prison, and repository of the Crown Jewels, and its architectural development reflects the military and political history of medieval and early modern England.

Tower of London is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1002061. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Tower of London?

Tower of London is a historic fortified complex founded by William the Conqueror in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of 1066, initially constructed as a military stronghold to control the City of London and the Thames. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1002061.

Who is responsible for protecting Tower of London?

Tower of London is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1002061.

What other scheduled monuments are near Tower of London?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Abbey buildings, Bermondsey (1.4 km), The Jewel Tower (3.7 km), Tudor naval storehouse at Convoys Wharf (4.3 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Tower of London

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Tower of London's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.

Monuments

The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.

Battlefields

The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.

Roman Britain

The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.

Domesday

The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.

Civil War

The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.

LiDAR

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.

Local Names

What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.

Historical Maps

Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.

Literature

The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Legal

The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Target Zones

For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.

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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Tower of London report

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Nearby

Other scheduled monuments within 10 km

Abbey buildings, Bermondsey

1.4 km

The Jewel Tower

3.7 km

Tudor naval storehouse at Convoys Wharf

4.3 km

Site of the launch ways of the SS Great Eastern

4.4 km

Greenwich Hospital (RN College)

5.5 km

Greenwich Palace

5.6 km

Submarine Telephone Cable Hauler and Gantry at Enderby's Wharf

5.8 km

Queen's House

5.9 km

The ground beneath

The bedrock under Tower of London

Tower of London stands on Thames Group, bedrock that formed in the Eocene. The rock here is clay, silt, sand and gravel.

The wider landscape

Around Tower of London

Battle of Barnet 1471Battle (1471) · ~11.7 miles

Domesday entry for Bishopsgate, Middlesex →

All Scheduled Monuments