This reconstruction drawing by Alan Sorrell depicts Jewel Tower as it would have appeared in the late 15th, early 16th centuries. In the image, Jewel Tower is the L-shaped building located in the center of the drawing. The large, buttressed building in the background is Westminster Abbey. Between the two buildings is the Palace of Westminster, also known as the Privy Palace. The Privy Palace acted as the main residence of the royal family from the 11th century to the 16th century. Jewel Tower was constructed in 1365-66 as a treasury of Edward III’s personal valuables. The tower was built at the western end of the royal garden, south of the Palace of Westminster. The land where the tower was constructed had originally belonged to the monks of Westminster Abbey, who were reportedly very disgruntled at losing their land to the king. Due to the valuables stored inside, Jewel Tower was designed for security. As seen in the drawing, the tower was surrounded by a moat on three sides, which provided an added measure of protection. The first floor of the tower had no windows facing outside of the enclosure. The top floor is believed to have been the storeroom for the precious objects based on its two-door entrance. Today, the Jewel Tower is one of only a handful of surviving London buildings from the medieval era. Small alterations and repairs have been made throughout its lifespan, including after its roof was destroyed during a bombing in 1941. Overall, the building remains almost exactly as it would have been during the 14th century. Often overlooked because of its size, and the surrounding buildings, Jewel Tower is only now becoming the subject of both historical and architectural scholarship.

This view of London appeared in the first volume of Civitates orbis terrarum, originally published in six parts in 1572 and 1617, and printed in Cologne, c. 1600-23, with 546 engraved views of cities around the world. Edited by Georg Braun, most of the engravings were done by Frans Hogenberg who relied on earlier drawings and engravings by other artists. This bird’s eye view of London depicts the city as it was around 1550 since it includes the tall spire of St Paul’s cathedral, which was destroyed in 1561. The people in the foreground are wearing English fasions from the first half of the sixteenth century.