The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-01-03
Written for the Enquirer.
TO EUROPE AND BACK
VII.
HOTEL VICTORIA, J
LONDON, Eng, !
September Sth. 1895.

LONDON, ENG,
September Sth, 1895.
Mr.. EDIToR:-Old St Paul's is surpass-
| ed as an object of interest in this great
city by the Tower of London. The ground
on which it stands was selected by Will
| liam the Conquerer soon after he obtained
possession of the kingdom. 1t stood part
| ly within the ancient wall and was built
| by the Romans about the year 800, just be-
| fore their evacuation of Britain. Alfred
the Great rebuilt it in SS6, but the Tower
| as such was probably begun in 1913, twelve
years after the battle of Hastings. 1t was
intended for the protection of the Port of
London and as a menace to rebellious citi-
zens. 1t now covers about twenty-five
acres. The builder of the Tower was
Norman monk and it is curious when we
think of the memories and associations
which now cling to these ancient walls and
seem to haunt every vault and cover, when
we read history which seems one long
| chapter of punishments, of prisoners in
chains of tortures and executions to be
told that the builder was man whose most
prominent characteristic was his extreme
soft From the first the citi-
Zens of London spoke of it as the Tower
building that it was a mere adjunct to the
old forts rather than that it was to become
a great castle with ditch, double walls and
rows of forts about it. After the death of
William the succeeding monarchs contin-
ued to add to the Tower, and although it
was practically finished during the reign
of Henry I'LL, the English sovereigns down
to Victoria have apparently felt it encum-
bent upon them to make either small addi
tions or changes of some nature. After
this little sketch | will take you over the
ground traversed by me: The finest view
| is from some of the narrow streets which
| lead to Tower Hill. In the foreground
| is seen queer space, here was set up the
| first permanet gibbet in the reign of Ed
| ward III. Where state prisoners were ex-
| ecuted when it was deemed unadvisable to
proceed through the city to Tyburn for
fear of melting a mob. Executions at this
spot dated earlier than the date already
| given however and among those who suf
fered were Sir Simon Burley and other ad
herents of Richard H.; Edward, last of the
male line of the Plantagenets Stafford,
third Duke of Buckingham; Bishop Fisher,
| Sir Thomas Moore, Edward Seymour,
| Duke of Somerset, Dudley Duke of
Northumberland, Archbishop Land, the
Duke of Monmouth and Lord Simon
Lorat. Thus it will be seen that the first
and last victims were given named Simon,
while the wears between their deaths were
more than three and Il half centuries. We
now enter the Middle Tower, probably of
the time of Charles H. and passing through
its archway stand on what was the draw
bridge across tre old moat, now Il stone
bridge, by which we reach the Bynard
Tower erected during the reign of Richard
II. which archway with its curious old
! yaulted chambers brings us to the Bell
Tower On the right is the outer wall
reaching from the gateway to St. Thomas
Tower or the Traitors Gate, and on the
left long rows of soldiers quarters The
Bell Tower was SO called from an alarm
bell which hung in little turret above the
roof. The basement of this town is ten
feet from the ground and above are two
yaulted chambers. In these rooms Bishop
| Fisher was lodged as was Elizabeth when
sent to the Tower by her sister Queen