When did construction of the White Tower begin and end?
Dendrochronological evidence suggests construction began between 1075 and 1079, though tradition holds it started in 1078. The White Tower was probably complete by 1100 at the latest.
Questions about White Tower (Tower of London)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who ordered the White Tower to be whitewashed and when?
Henry III ordered the tower whitewashed in March 1240. He commanded the Keeper of the Works to have the Great Tower whitened both inside and out that same year.
What happened to Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury in the White Tower?
Edward V and his younger brother Richard of Shrewsbury were confined to the Tower of London after their father Edward IV died in 1483. They had last been seen in public in June 1483 and were likely murdered late in the summer of that year.
How was the White Tower modified for cannon use during the Tudor period and Civil War?
Adaptations included adding a timber platform to the top of the White Tower for cannon emplacements which damaged the roof. In 1640 Charles I ordered platforms built and 21 cannons installed on top of the White Tower with three additional mortars.
When did bomb explosions occur in the White Tower and what damage did they cause?
A bomb exploded in the White Tower on the 26th of January 1885 damaging some displays. Another explosion occurred in the Mortar Room in 1974 leaving one person dead and 35 injured.