This vivid illustration by Terry Ball depicts Wakefield Tower as it may have appeared during the 14th century. Originally known as Blundeville Tower, when it was constructed between 1220 and 1240, Wakefield Tower is located on the side of the compound closest to the Thames, attached to what is known as Traitor’s Gate, by a wall with a portcullis beneath it. The tower was intended to serve as a bedchamber for King Henry III. Following the accession of his son Edward I, the tower was no longer used as a private bedchamber as the king chose to stay in the Tower of St. Thomas. As shown in the reconstruction drawing, the interior of the tower, like many other rooms at the Tower of London, was richly painted in vibrant colors. The screened area at the center of the drawing was a small chapel for use by the king. The throne to the left indicates that the room may have been used as a private reception room, once it was no longer a bedchamber.
Like many other sites at the Tower of London, Wakefield Tower is most well-known for a violent altercation. The tower was the site of the murder of king Henry VI, which was ordered by Edward IV. In 1471, Edward’s forces defeated those of Henry VI, who was kept as a prisoner in the Tower of London. In May of the same year, Henry was praying at the small chapel in Wakefield Tower when he was struck in the head and killed. Today, Wakefield Tower is open to visitors at the Tower of London. The current chamber largely resembles the drawing, with the most notable change being the lack of decoration on the walls and ceiling.