Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London
Watch Beefeaters Lock Gates of Fortress with Traditional Pageantry
May 8, 2009
While London is full of history, there are few opportunities for visitors to be part of a centuries old tradition in a very up-close-and-personal way while also getting a very direct feel of the history of the place. One of those opportunities comes when attending the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.
The Ceremony of the Keys has been conducted nightly for the past 700 years, and the tradition continues on into the 21st Century. While the Queen no longer lives at the Tower of London, the Crown Jewels and other valuable artifacts are still there, and the Tower, which continues to serve as a fortress, must be securely locked each night by the famed Beefeaters, who act in concert with the military guards, the same ones who can be seen wearing large “Bearskin” hats during the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
While admission to the Ceremony of the Keys is free and offers an amazing opportunity for visitors to London, it remains somewhat unknown for two reasons. First, reservations must be obtained in writing well in advance of attending. Second, only a small number of people are allowed for each ceremony.
Written Request for Reservations
While we live in a world of e-mail, phones and fax, the Ceremony of the Keys remains traditional in that reservations can only be obtained by submitting a written request by mail. The first step in attending the Ceremony of the Keys is to mail a written request to:
Ceremony of the Keys Office
Tower of London
London, EC3N 4AB
Great Britain
Requests should include: 1) a stamped self-addressed envelope; 2) the names of all attendees; 3) two possible dates of attendance. Note that the request should be submitted at least two months in advance, three for the peak summer season. Do not request more than six attendees per group between April and October, or more than 15 during the winter months.
Visitors should also be advised that there are no toilet or refreshment facilities available and photography is not allowed. The entire ceremony, from admission to the Tower to completion, takes about 35 minutes.
Intimate Environment
Only a small number of people are allowed to attend each night, which is to the benefit of the attendees. The Beefeater in charge of the group meets the visitors at the gate at 9:30 p.m., and ushers them to Bloody Tower Archway while giving a full explanation of what will happen, why the ceremony is held, who is involved, etc. Visitors have a chance to soak up the atmosphere of the Tower of London at night, and contemplate how the ceremony they are about to see has been conducted nightly for hundreds of years.
The Ceremony
At 9:53 p.m., the Chief Yeoman Warder meets the military escort right in front of the visiting group under Bloody Tower Archway. The group then marches down Water Lane to secure the Tower’s main gates. Upon returning up Water Lane to the visitors, the group is halted by a sentry and asked to identify themselves.
The sentry asks, “Who goes there?” The Chief Yeoman Warder responds, “The keys.” The sentry asks, “Whose keys?” The Warder responds, “Queen Elizabeth’s keys.” The sentry then says, “Pass Queen Elizabeth’s keys. All’s well.”
Following this exchange the military escort makes its way through Bloody Tower Archway, and visitors are allowed to follow. The ceremony ends on the Broadwalk Steps as the military escort presents arms and the last post is sounded at approximately 10 p.m.
The Ceremony of the Keys allows London visitors the rare opportunity to directly observe a tradition dating back hundreds of years. Although it takes some advanced planning to secure a reservation for the ceremony, it is definitely worth the effort.
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