St Katharine's & Wapping in Tower Hamlets in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

The Tower Liberty

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, 2026

1. The Tower Liberty Marker

Inscription. This site formed part of the Tower Liberty, an area of land originally kept open for the defence of the Tower of London. In 1687 a charter was granted giving privileged status to those living within its confines amongst them the freedom from the jurisdiction of the City of London. Although the last vestiges of these privileges were finally dissolved in 1894, the tradition of the Beating of the Bounds takes place every third year on Ascension Day.

William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, was born in the Liberty in 1644 and baptised in the nearby Church of All Hallows, Barking.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1687.

Location. 51° 30.591′ N, 0° 4.599′ W. Marker is in Tower Hamlets, England, in Greater London. It is in St Katharine's & Wapping. It can be reached from Tower Hill east of Trinity Square, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located within Wakefield Gardens. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 40 Tower Hill, Tower Hamlets, England EC3N 4DJ, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

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this marker is in the Greater South East.

Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

in Europe,

in Atlantic Europe,

on one of the British Isles,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: London Wall (within shouting distance of this marker); The Trinity House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tower Hill Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tower in flames (within shouting distance of this marker); Collapse at the Tower of London! (within shouting distance of this marker); The Norman Tower of London (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Tower Hill Memorial (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named The Tower Hill Memorial (about 90 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tower Hamlets.

Also see . . . Beating the Bounds: A centuries-old tradition (Historic Royal Palaces).

On the evening of Ascension Day,
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 11, 2026

2. The Tower Liberty Marker
The marker is located upon Tower Hill within Wakefield Gardens. The Tower of London can be seen in the background for orientation.
a group from every parish and various governing bodies in England would walk around the parameters of their land. Each boundary post would be beaten to mark it out in the minds of the younger generations and the clergy would pray for the land along the way. This tradition was known as Beating the Bounds. Modern maps have made the geographical purpose of the ceremony obsolete, yet a number of communities across the UK continue to beat their bounds in honour of the ancient tradition, including the Tower of London.

(Submitted on September 18, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 18, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.