Tower Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tower Hill |
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 10 Trinity Square, Tower Hill |
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 Tower Hill
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| OS grid reference | TQ333806 |
| • Charing Cross | 2 mi (3.2 km) W |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | EC3N |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
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| London Assembly | |
Tower Hill is an area in London, England. It is located around the famous Tower of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This historic spot is known as a place where important people were publicly executed from the late 1300s to the mid-1700s. The exact site of these executions is now a park called Trinity Square Gardens.
Tower Hill rises from the north bank of the River Thames. It reaches a height of about 14.5 meters (48 feet). This land was once part of the "Liberties of the Tower of London." This meant the Tower authorities controlled the area. They wanted to keep it clear of buildings to make the Tower easier to defend. Even today, much of the hill remains an open space. You can also see a large part of the old London Wall here.
Contents
What is Tower Hill?
The name Tower Hill usually refers to the parts of the Tower Liberty that are outside the Tower of London itself. This includes the area around its moat.
There are two main parts:
- Great Tower Hill is the land inside (or west of) the old London Wall.
- Little Tower Hill is the land outside (or east of) the wall.
Trinity Square and Gardens
After public executions stopped at Tower Hill, Trinity Square and Gardens were created in 1797. They were designed by Samuel Wyatt. This area became the setting for Trinity House, which was built a year earlier. Trinity House is the headquarters of the Corporation of Trinity House, an important organization that looks after lighthouses and sailors.
In the 1880s, a section of the London Underground Circle Line was built underground, beneath Trinity Square Gardens. In the early 1900s, smaller buildings around Trinity Square were removed. This made way for the new Port of London Authority headquarters at 10 Trinity Square. This large building was finished in 1922. Today, it is a fancy Four Seasons hotel.
The Tower Hill Memorial honors merchant sailors who died in wars. The section for World War I was opened in 1928 by Queen Mary. The World War II section is a sunken garden. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1955. A memorial for sailors lost in the 1982 Falklands War was added in 2005.
Tower Hill Trust
In 1933, Reverend P B Clayton and Dr B R Leftwich suggested a plan to improve Tower Hill. Soon after, the Tower Hill Improvement Fund was started. Its goal was to make the area better for everyone.
One of the Trust's first projects was to create a beach on the River Thames. This beach was for families from the East End of London.
In 1937, the Fund became the Tower Hill Improvement Trust. They bought and tore down several buildings that were considered ugly. This helped create more gardens and open public spaces. One big building they removed was a tea warehouse. It used to block the view of the Tower from the west.
From 2001 to 2003, the Trust helped pay for improvements to Trinity Square Gardens. In 2006, the Trust's name was shortened to Tower Hill Trust.
Tower Hill Street
The street called Tower Hill is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It connects to the City of London at Byward Street. It then runs east towards Minories and Tower Bridge. This street replaced an older one in the 1880s and was made wider later.
A special underground walkway connects Tower Hill tube station to the edge of the Tower of London. Here, you can see the remains of an old medieval gate.
Tower Subway
The Tower Subway is a tunnel that goes under the Thames River. It runs from Tower Hill to Vine Lane in Southwark. The round brick building near the Tower of London's ticket office is the entrance. It was built in 1926. The year 1868 on the building refers to the law that allowed the tunnel to be built.
Former Pump House
The building that is now the Tower of London shop used to be a pump house. It was built in 1863 and designed by the architect Anthony Salvin. It is now a protected historic building.
Getting Around Tower Hill
You can reach Tower Hill easily by public transport.
- London Buses route 15 travels along Tower Hill.
- Tower Hill tube station is right next to the area.
- Tower Gateway DLR station is also very close by.
- You can also take London River Services boats from Tower Pier.
Images for kids
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A model of the Tower of London showing the old Bulwark Gate.
See also
In Spanish: Tower Hill para niños
