For centuries, the Tower of London has been an icon of the UK’s capital and a symbol of its rich royal history. Today the Tower of London is a complex of buildings and fortifications covering acres of land, but its story begins with the building of the White Tower, the oldest standing building in London.
The White Tower
The White Tower was constructed in the 1070s by William the Conqueror and was designed to inspire awe and fear in equal measure. The events that happened in and around the Tower certainly added to its intimidating reputation.
Anyone touring the White Tower will see an executioner’s block from the eighteenth century with an axe that may date back as far as Tudor times and is believed to have been used at the last public beheading on Tower Hill in 1747. The White Tower’s basement is also said to have been where prisoners such as Guy Fawkes were tortured and interrogated.
Today, the White Tower is at the heart of the bustling historic site which draws millions of visitors from around the world every year. It is so important to the story of the Tower of London, that the mace carried by the Chief Warder is topped by a silver model of the White Tower.
The Tower of London Collection
We’ve been delighted to work with heraldic artist Timothy Noad, who has created the reverse designs for the four coins in the 2020 Tower of London Collection. For the coin exploring the White Tower, Tim took inspiration from the Chief Warder’s mace and surrounded it with a Norman arched window from the White Tower – a detail that unites the four coins in the 2020 collection.
The coin is available now in several editions. Each coin features the exclusive Tower of London mint mark and comes with packaging created in collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, which reveals more intriguing tales from the White Tower.
Discover great stories from history and how we're celebrating these moments within The Royal Mint
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