Tower Hamlets in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
The Tower Wharf
This wharf was built in the 13th and 14th centuries to allow ships to dock next to the fortress. Where you are standing now would have been busy and bustling with people loading and unloading ships with weapons and military supplies. From the 1450s onwards armourers manufactured, tested and stored firearms here.
Edward III (1327-77) extended the wharf during the Hundred Years' War against the French. Between 1389 and 1391, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who was also Clerk of Works for Richard II, lengthened the wharf to span the whole of the Tower's riverside. In 1803, a 'small arms manufactory', was built following the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars. Houses and workshops for armourers and Tower officials were also built along the wharf but by the 1860s, all the buildings were cleared away.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Forts and Castles.
Location. 51° 30.445′ N, 0° 4.655′ W. Marker is in Tower Hamlets, England, in Greater London. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Tower Hill and Trinity Square, on the left when traveling west. Located on the walkway along the River Thames. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Tower Hamlets, England EC3N 4DJ, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Queen’s Stairs (within shouting distance of this marker); The Bell Tower (within shouting distance of this marker); Saluting Battery (within shouting distance of this marker); The Byward Postern (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tower of London foreshore (within shouting distance of this marker); Western entrance (within shouting distance of this marker); The Lost Palace (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Coldharbour Gate tower and Innermost Ward wall (about 90 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tower Hamlets.
Also see . . .
1. Tower of London. (Submitted on May 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
2. Tower of London on Wikipedia. (Submitted on May 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 598 times since then and 194 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 14, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.