Protecting the Tower from Sunset to Sunrise

When Edward III arrived unannounced at the Tower of London one evening, he was shocked to find the gates unguarded, allowing him to enter freely without being challenged. The King subsequently decreed that the Tower’s gate must be locked between sunset and sunrise to secure the fortress from unwanted visitors, in a ritual that has taken place ever since that fateful December night in 1340.

The historic keys and lantern used in the ceremony are depicted at the centre of the final coin in our Tower of London Collection, with a section of the Tower’s walls providing the last piece in a four-part puzzle. At double the weight of a standard £5 coin, this silver Proof piedfort edition bears the inscription ‘on into twilight within walls of stone’ on its edge, and is presented in a sleek Royal Mint case with further insight into the fascinating tradition.