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South-east View of the [Martin] Jewel Tower
George Cruikshank
November 1840
Wood-engraving
10.4 cm high by 9 cm wide, vignetted
Illustration for Book the Second, Chapter XXX, of Ainsworth's The Tower of London, p. 321.
[Click on image to enlarge it.]
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
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After contemplating the spectacle for some time in silence, Mary proceeded to the Flint Tower — a fortification about ninety feet nearer the scene of strife. Here the alarming intelligence was brought her that Lord Guilford Dudley was in possession of the Brass Mount, and that other advantages had been gained by the insurgents in that quarter. The fight raged so fiercely, it was added, that it would be tempting Providence in her majesty to proceed further. Yielding, at length, to the solicitations of her attendants, Mary descended from the walls, and shaped her course towards the White Tower; while Renard, by her command, hastened to the Martin Tower (now the Jewel Tower) to ascertain how matters stood. His first step was to ascend the roof of this structure, which, standing immediately behind the Brass Mount, completely overlooked it.
It must be borne in mind that the Tower is surrounded by a double line of defences, and that the ballium wall and its fortifications are much loftier than the outer ramparts. Renard found the roof of the Martin Tower thronged with soldiers, who were bringing their guns to bear upon the present possessors of the Brass Mount. They were assisted in their efforts to dislodge them by the occupants of the Brick Tower and the Constable Tower; and notwithstanding the advantage gained by the insurgents, they sustained severe loss from the constant fire directed against them. Renard's glance sought out Lord Guilford Dudley; and after a few moments’ search, guided by the shouts, he perceived him with Cholmondeley driving a party of royalists before him down the steps leading to the eastern ramparts. Here he was concealed from view, and protected by the roofs of a range of habitations from the guns on the ballium wall. [Chapter XXX. — "How Queen Mary comported herself during the siege; how Lord Guildford Dudley was captured; and how Sir Thomas Wyat and the Duke of Suffolk were routed," p. 326]
This particular tower still housed the crown jewels in 1840, and was thus known as "The Jewel Tower" at the time Ainsworth wrote the novel. The location of the crown jewels changed in 1841. At present, there is another tower of that name in Westminster, one of only four buildings to survive from the old Westminster Palace. The Westminster Jewel Tower, which William of Sleaford and Henry de Yevele built between 1365 and 1366 to house the personal treasure of Edward III, survived the disastrous fire of 1834 because it was protected by a moat linked to the River Thames.
The Martin Tower, which King Henry III built between 1238 and 1272, was chiefly a prison. In 1669, the former Jewel House was demolished, and the Crown Jewels moved into Martin Tower, where they remained from then until 1841; hence, Ainsworth refers to the Martin Tower on the eastern battlements which Queen Mary dares to visit during the height of battle as the Jewel Tower. Today, it houses an exhibition entitled "Crowns and Diamonds," based on the making of the Crown Jewels. In 1671, Colonel Thomas Blood and his men tried to steal the Crown Jewels from the Martin Tower. On 30 October 1841, rapidly spreading flames began to engulf the Martin Tower. Alarmed efforts were made to save the priceless regalia from destruction. In the midst of the general panic, the firefighters realised too late that the Keeper of the Jewel House had only the key to the outer room; the Lord Chamberlain had the other important key, that to the barred cabinets themselves. Rescue crews had to bend the bars protecting the jewels with crowbars.
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Last modified 26 October 2017