The Medieval Palace at the Tower of London is set to reopen on 23 May. It will explore the stories of the kings and queens who lived and shaped the Tower, the households who served them, and the world they lived in.
The Tower of London’s royal apartments, which once hosted medieval monarchs, will be reimagined in a new permanent display that will transport visitors back to the 13th century through innovative storytelling, hands-on interactives, and new multisensory displays.
The magnificent royal lodgings are some of the oldest parts of the Tower of London, built on the orders of King Henry III and King Edward I, and used as a domestic and diplomatic space by the two kings and their queens, Eleanor of Provence and Eleanor of Castile. They include St. Thomas’ Tower, designed for Edward I to impress diplomatic visitors, the Wakefield Tower, built for Henry III, and the Lanthorn Tower, once part of Eleanor of Provence’s lodgings but likely later chambers for King Edward II.
The new displays will take visitors on an immersive journey into the medieval world. New illustrations will tell the story of life in the palace and the royal household on the road. The palace walls will be enriched with recreated medieval textiles, culminating in Edward I’s bedchamber, which has been recreated using meticulous research from medieval accounts. Visitors will explore how Eleanor of Castile was a patron of learning and a great influence on the decoration of English royal interiors. New interpretation will help visitors to explore what defined this pivotal but sometimes overlooked period of history. The display also shares stories from the lives of less well-known individuals from the royal household, including Edward I’s laundress, Matilda de Wautham and John de Navesby, the keeper of the white bear at the Tower of London.
As part of the re-display, a number of objects will go on show in the Lanthorn Tower, including a portable altarpiece or ‘triptych’ from the 13th century and silver coins minted at the Tower in the reign of Edward I. The coins will reveal insights into religion in medieval society, the Jewish history of the Tower, and the importance of the Tower as the home of the Royal Mint. For the first time, a 13th century Seal Matrix from a knight of Edward I’s court will be displayed at the Tower of London, alongside a gold and enamel 13th century pyx, a small round container used to hold communion wafers made in Limoges, France.
The new displays will help visitors explore the complex relationship between the Tower and the City of London and the Tower’s relationship with its local community, which continues today. Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for the Tower of London, has collaborated with the Tower Hamlets-based community group Stitches in Time to capture the contemporary relevance of the Tower for local people. The tapestry, which will hang in St. Thomas’ Tower, will reflect on themes including childhood, entertainment, religion and London as a place to live for both medieval and modern residents of Tower Hamlets.
For the first time, brand new tactiles and accompanying braille labels will be situated throughout the exhibition, enabling visitors to the Tower of London to encounter this period of history in three dimensions.
Charles Farris, Public Historian at Historic Royal Palaces said, “The 13th century saw the Tower of London grow to become the magnificent landmark it is today, greatly influenced by the ambitions and personalities of Henry III and Edward I. This new display aims to immerse visitors in this fascinating period of history. We want to bring the Medieval Palace to life and introduce visitors to some of the fascinating people who lived and worked here. We look forward to visitors from all over the world engaging with these stories for years to come, as we open this new permanent addition to the Tower’s visitor offer.”
The Medieval Palace is open from 23 May, in line with the Tower of London’s opening hours, and included in general admission.
Click here to find out more about the Historic Royal Palaces.
