Traitors' Gate, Medieval watergate entrance at Tower of London, England
The stone archway of Traitors' Gate stands beneath St Thomas's Tower, allowing direct water access from the River Thames into the Tower of London.
King Edward I commissioned Master James of St George to construct this water entrance between 1275 and 1279 for royal transportation purposes.
Numerous Tudor-era prisoners, including Anne Boleyn and Sir Thomas More, entered through this gate before their imprisonment in the Tower of London.
The gate features a stone arch large enough for boats to pass through at high tide, demonstrating medieval engineering techniques for water-based transport.
An engine installed behind the gate in 1724 served an unexpected purpose: powering machinery for boring gun barrels until its removal in 1866.
Part of: Tower of London
GPS coordinates: 51.50740,-0.07700
Latest update: May 26, 2025 21:42
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