New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-06
LOCKING THE TOWER or LONDON.
A CEREMONY THAT re NOW TO BE
CHANGED AFTER SIX HUNDRED YEARS
From The London Mail.

CHANGED AFTER SIX HCNDf'ED 4E"i'o'
From The London Mail.
Alterations to the Tower of London II sounds
like sacrilege at the very least Yet IT has been
done Masons and carpenters have been lately
at work within the grim old walls. Inc alteist-
tions are to the guardhouse, hard by the Eloody
Tower The old main guard served ns pGrp po1
for long time, but 1t was small and neon
venient and in the end the authorities deter
mined to pull it down and build larger one n
INT the alteration implies something more
serious than a rearrang ment Of bricks and
mortar 1t has led to a change in the ancient
ceremony Of the Keys Time out OF hih1 IN, me
main guard has turned out every nghf beside
the Bloody Tower to salute Her Majesty : keys
Now that the guardhOuse has gone, the man
puard has removed TO the spur guard, and the
ceremony OF the Keys has gone with lt-the hiSt
variation il has known for hundreds OF years. .
Nobody knows when the ceremony logan. u
is certainly six hundred years old, and proha'y
a great deal older The first reference to II Ia
the archives H. dated 1910
In King Edward HIS time" runs the entry
there was one John Of London. an handycrait
man and armourer, that had the custody OF the
keys. portcullses ard drawbridges Of the Tower,
with the wages Of lid per diem, and 10 tor a
varlet TO carry the keys for hlm. lie mao 'ne
same clothes, and a rugg gown, ana a haloer'
allowed him as the rest OF the yeomen had
From the time If that forgotten Johh oi Lon
don there has always been yeoinan that mao
the custody Of The gates He has always had
his clothes and his 'rugg gown, and ms nlghty
ceremony Of locking the gates has not NdiIed or
been omitted for a single night The present
change Of background IS probably the worst
. violence il has ever suffered
At a few minutes before II the chlei "arder
takes his keys and. ACCOMPANIED ~ his assist
ant. marches to the guardhoEse. There 1t APP
plies to the sergeant for the escort Tor me
KEYS" The sergeant acquaints the officer and
the officer. placing the guard under arms. tur-
nishes a sergeant and four men. Two q the men
are unarmed. Their duty is to assist il closing
the gates. and to carry the ancient ian;horn.
which has tdllOW candle.
4 procession is formed. The ycomar porter
carry lng the keys IN his hand. places himself III
The midst Of the escort and goes the round ~
the gates. The sentries present arms. Every
body must salute the Queens keys, even ne
constable himself
dim light on tn, scarlet coats. the salutug var
dcrs. ana the yeoman porter locking the gates,
the sight is quaint and impressive. one forge;s
that ne Is in The midst Of modern city, with
tram cars and nervous complaints. and electro
lights The mind goes back 20 the DAYS OK
harons and night alarms when fortresses meant
sonnet hing and the keeping Of gates Was mat
ter of some importance.
When all the gates are locked the varder re-
turns with his keys to the main guard AZ
present. to the spur guard. The sentry cha.-
lenges.
Halt, Who goes there
The keys replies the warder
Whose keys"
Queen Nictoras keys"
Advance Queen Nictoria's keys" saws Tie
sentry, and the yeomdn porter and hl> eScort
lace the guard, VINO ale drawn ui III llnr
At the command of the officer the guard pre-
SCENTS arms. The officer salutcs the keys. Then
says the yeoman porter. lin an audible voice.
God preserve Queen Victorian and the guard
from the officer to the drummer, reply Amen"
The keys returned to the Queens House,
where they remain until > o'clock in the morn
ing. when the gates are unlocked. There ) dSt Z
an escort. but no ceremony.
The wickcts remain open until midnight After
this hour nobody can enter the precincts Of the
Tower unless he has the countersign THIS
a
and may be changed at any moment. II ~ gem
orally the name Of river county, O. 4 tow IL