Traitors' Gate, Medieval watergate entrance at Tower of London, England
Traitors' Gate is a medieval water entrance situated beneath St Thomas's Tower, providing direct river access into the Tower of London from the Thames. The stone archway is sized to allow boats to pass through at high tide, showcasing how medieval builders engineered waterways for transportation and defense.
King Edward I commissioned Master James of St George to build this water entrance between 1275 and 1279 as a royal route arriving from the river. The passage later became the primary way prisoners were brought into the fortress by boat.
The gate carries the weight of Tudor-era arrivals, when prisoners like Anne Boleyn and Sir Thomas More passed through its arch before their confinement. Walking past this entrance today, you feel the echo of these pivotal moments in English history.
The gate is best viewed from the water, such as from a river walk or boat tour along the Thames. From inside the Tower grounds, the entrance appears smaller and less impressive, so try to see it from the river level for the full effect.
In 1724, machinery was installed behind the gate not for river traffic but for boring gun barrels, an industrial use that lasted until 1866. This hidden purpose reveals how the medieval structure was repurposed during England's industrial era.
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