The White Tower

At the heart of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It is the oldest part of the Tower, built to strike fear and submission into the unruly citizens of London.

The White Tower’s conceals some hidden architectural gems, such as the beautiful 11th-century Chapel of St John the Evangelist.

Along with the rest of the Tower complex, the White Tower is one of the most important historic buildings in the world.

It began as a timber fortification enclosed by a palisade. In the next decade work began on the White Tower, the great stone keep that still dominates the castle today. The precise date of the White Tower's foundation is unknown, and it is also uncertain how long building took. It is traditionally held that construction began in 1078. This is because the Textus Roffensis records that Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, oversaw the building work under instruction from William the Conqueror. Dendrochronological, (the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree rings, also known as growth rings.) evidence suggests construction of the White Tower began in 1075–1079. The archaeology of the standing building suggests there was a pause in construction between 1080 and 1090–1093, although it is unknown why. Gundulf did more than just oversee work and was a skilled architect.

The white tower is a keep(also known as a donjon). The White Tower, not including its projecting corner towers, measures 36 by 32 meters at the base, and rises to a height of 27 m at the southern battlements. The structure was originally three storeys high, comprising a basement floor, an entrance level, and an upper floor. The entrance, as is usual in Norman keeps, was above ground, in this case on the south face, and accessed via a wooden staircase which could be removed in the event of an attack.

In the middle of the white tower, is the St John's Chapel. Dating from 1080, this complete 11th-century church is the oldest church in London.

This romanesque chapel is on the second floor of the White Tower, which was built in 1077–97 as a keep or citadel. This is the oldest part of William the Conqueror's powerful fortress. It was constructed from stone imported from France (Stone from Caen).

St John's Chapel is almost unparalleled in castle architecture. St John's Chapel was not part of the White Tower's original design.  In the 13th century, during Henry III's reign, the chapel was decorated with such ornamentation as a gold-painted cross.