Discover Traitors' Gate
Built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, the Tower of London has stood tall and menacing on the banks of the River Thames for nearly a thousand years. Its stone walls hold a treasure trove of secrets, scandals, and (quite literally) skeletons in the closet. Though it started as a fortress and royal residence, the Tower’s true claim to fame lies in its darker history: imprisonments, executions, and mysterious disappearances.
That’s where Traitors’ Gate comes in. Picture this: You’re taken by boat down the murky Thames, past the Tower of London, when you spot an old, weathered archway with the inscription: “ENTRY TO THE TRAITORS’ GATE.” Sounds dramatic, right? That’s because it is!
Traitors' Gate isn’t just any old doorway. It’s a symbol of betrayal, treachery, and, for many unfortunate souls, a one-way ticket to a very short and unpleasant future. But was this eerie entrance really just for doomed prisoners? Or is there more to the story than meets the eye? Read on to find out.
A Gateway Fit for a King (Before It Became One for the Condemned)
Before Traitors' Gate earned its ominous reputation, it had a much less sinister purpose. Originally built in the late 13th century by King Edward I, this entrance point was known as the Water Gate and served as a convenient royal entrance for monarchs and their entourages. Back then, the Tower of London wasn’t just a gloomy fortress—it was also a luxurious royal residence, complete with plush accommodations and even a collection of exotic animals!
Edward I, always thinking ahead, decided that a water entrance was a necessity. After all, why deal with the hassle of crowded streets when you could arrive at your palace by boat like a mediaeval VIP? However, as history would have it, the Water Gate’s purpose would soon shift from welcoming kings to imprisoning their enemies.
How the Water Gate Became Traitors’ Gate
Fast forward to the Tudor era, and the Tower of London had taken on a much darker role. No longer just a royal palace, it had transformed into the most feared prison in England, where political prisoners, rebels, and the occasional unlucky noble were sent to await their fate.
It was during the reign of King Henry VIII that the Water Gate became known as Traitors’ Gate—a name that struck fear into those accused of betraying the Crown. Prisoners brought here were accused of treason, and while some were later released, many never made it out alive.
What Does Traitors’ Gate Look Like?
Built with thick wooden doors reinforced with iron, Traitors' Gate was designed to be both imposing and practical. It connected directly to the Thames, allowing easy boat access, and was flanked by stone walls that made any escape attempt a literal dead end. Over time, its reputation grew as high-profile prisoners were ferried through it—Sir Thomas More, Queen Elizabeth I (before she was queen), and Sir Walter Raleigh, to name a few.
The placement of the gate meant that prisoners would take a solemn ride along the Thames, passing beneath London Bridge on their way to the Tower. And for centuries, that meant an unsettling sight: the severed heads of previous traitors, mounted on spikes for all to see.
By the mid-19th century, the outer archway of the gate was bricked up due to rising water levels, but the entrance remains clearly labeled, a silent reminder of its grim past.
Royal Prisoners who Passed Through Traitors’ Gate
Anne Boleyn
Once Henry VIII’s beloved queen, Anne found herself on the wrong side of royal favor when she failed to produce a male heir. Accused of adultery, incest, and treason (the Tudor trifecta of doom), she was locked in the Tower before being executed by a French swordsman on May 19, 1536.
Lady Jane Grey
Crowned queen for a grand total of nine days, Lady Jane Grey’s reign was doomed from the start. A pawn in a political power struggle, she was imprisoned in the Tower when Mary I rightfully claimed the throne. Despite her youth and innocence, she was executed at just 16 years old, earning her the nickname ‘The Nine Days' Queen.’
Guy Fawkes
Okay, so technically not royal, but definitely the most famous failed terrorist in British history. Guy Fawkes was caught red-handed in 1605 while attempting to blow up Parliament in the infamous Gunpowder Plot. He was swiftly sent to the Tower, where he endured grueling torture before ultimately meeting his gruesome fate—being hung, drawn, and quartered.
The Princes in the Tower
In one of the Tower’s greatest unsolved mysteries, two young princes—Edward V and his brother Richard—were sent to the Tower ‘for safekeeping’ by their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. They were never seen again. Rumors swirled that Richard (who conveniently became King Richard III) had them murdered. Centuries later, two small skeletons were found buried within the Tower, but the mystery remains unsolved.
Queen Elizabeth I
When Elizabeth was arrested by her half-sister, Queen Mary I, she was terrified she would meet the same fate as her mother, Anne Boleyn. In fact, she even hesitated to step foot onto Tower soil, insisting that she was no traitor.
In a cruel twist of fate, Elizabeth was imprisoned in the same lodgings where her mother had stayed before her execution. Fortunately, history had other plans for Elizabeth—she walked out alive and went on to rule England for 45 years. Others, however, weren’t so lucky.
Escaping the Inescapable: The Tower’s Most Daring Breakouts
Not everyone who entered the Tower accepted their fate. Some prisoners plotted great escapes, with varying degrees of success. The very first known prisoner, Ranulf Flambard, set the tone when he used a rope hidden in a wine cask to climb out of a Tower window in 1101.
Centuries later, another prisoner tried to escape by dressing as a laundry woman—only to be recognised at the last moment. Then there was the infamous case of William Maxwell, the 5th Earl of Nithsdale, who successfully pulled off a cross-dressing escape with the help of his wife.
The Last Execution within Traitors’ Gate
For hundreds of years, the Tower was a place of death, but by the 20th century, executions had become rare. The last person to be executed at the Tower was Josef Jakobs, a German spy caught during World War II. On 15th August 1941, he was shot by firing squad, marking the Tower’s final act of capital punishment.
Traitors’ Gate in Popular Culture
The eerie legacy of Traitors’ Gate has ensured its place in books, films, and TV series. It frequently pops up in historical dramas about the Tudors, as well as documentaries on the Tower of London. Hollywood loves a good execution story, and Traitors’ Gate has been portrayed as the ominous last stop before the chopping block in countless productions.
Even beyond the silver screen, the gate is a popular subject for historical books and online explorations. YouTube videos and virtual tours dissect its history, detailing the lives of those who passed through it (and often didn’t come back out).
Visiting Traitors’ Gate
Thankfully, these days, you can visit Traitors’ Gate and the Tower of London without the risk of losing your head. It remains one of London’s most famous landmarks, attracting millions of visitors eager to see the Crown Jewels, witness the famous Changing of the Guard, meet the legendary Beefeaters, and perhaps even spot the ghost of Anne Boleyn, who is said to wander the grounds, head tucked under her arm.
Even if you’re on a budget, you can get a glimpse of the gate from the Thames side for free. But to get the full experience, a Tower of London tour is well worth the ticket price. Guides will regale you with thrilling (and chilling) tales of the Tower’s history, including the stories of those who entered through Traitors’ Gate.
Explore Beyond Traitors' Gate with CityDays
If wandering through London’s rich and occasionally gruesome history sounds like your kind of adventure, why stop at Traitors’ Gate?
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