Traitor’s (or Traitors’) Gate was a watergate – originally simply called the Water Gate – beneath St Thomas’s Tower at the Tower of London.
The gate was built in the late 1270s on the orders of Edward I to provide a convenient means by which he could arrive by barge. It acquired its present name as the Tower evolved into a place of imprisonment – and sometimes torture – for those accused of treason, notably in the 16th century during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.
The archway was bricked up in the mid-19th century because the embankment works caused the river to run deeper, making the gate of little practical use for would-be visitors – traitorous or not – at most phases of the tide.
It’s really pretty inside the Tower, right?
Oh I went to visit Peterborough Cathedral this weekend.
I saw Catherine of Aragon’s tomb inside the cathedral!
I have not been to Peterborough Cathedral, yet…
My next Cathedral visit will be Lincoln
You should then!
It’s really impressive.
Inside, it’s like a cross between Ely Cathedral and Bath Abbey.
Outside, it reminded me of Wells Cathedral. But not really the same.
I haven’t been to Lincoln YET.
Then a bit of island hopping to Guernsey and France.
One day… I’m kinda planning my Easter bank holiday now.
Maybe Jersey.
All of that sounds like a good holiday plan to me
I had heard of this gate but was not aware of the back story; very interesting and a great shot to go with it, CP
I am glad you found the information interesting
I remember this on the only tour I ever did of the tower back in the day.
The poppies give the pictures some colour although I’m not sure about their relevance in this part of the tower.
The poppies filled the moat so there is no particular relevance. I liked the added colour they gave to the gate and took advantage of the one off photo opportunity