It was first built as a fortress, and has a central Keep, called the
"White Tower." The Inner Ward is defended by a wall, flanked by thirteen
towers, the entrance to it being on the south side under the Bloody
Tower. The Outer Ward is defended by a second wall, flanked by six
towers on the river face (_see_ Pl. IX, X and XI), and by three
semicircular bastions on the north face. A Ditch or "Moat," now dry,
encircles the whole, crossed at the south-western angle by a stone
bridge, leading to the "Byward Tower" from the "Middle Tower," a gateway
which had formerly an outwork, called the "Lion Tower."

The Tower was occupied as a palace by all our Kings and Queens down to
Charles II. It was the custom for each monarch to lodge in the Tower
before his coronation, and to ride in procession to Westminster through
the city. The Palace buildings stood eastward of the "Bloody Tower."

The security of the walls made it convenient as a State prison, the
first known prisoner being Ralf Flambard, Bishop of Durham, who had been
active under William Rufus in pushing on the buildings. From that time
the Tower was seldom without some captive, English or foreign, of rank
and importance.

In the Tudor period the "Green" within the Tower was used on very rare
occasions for executions.[1] Condemned prisoners were usually beheaded
on

[Footnote 1: See page 32.]

_Tower Hill_.