The White Tower Armory

Visited 16 March 2006

The two upper floors of the White Tower now display weapons and armor dating back to the days of Henry VIII. Before Henry, English armor was fairly primitive. He was able to do a technology transfer from Emperor Maximilian. Arms were typically manufactured at the Royal Armory in Greenwich but stored in the Tower of London.

By 1600, most of the White Tower had been taken over as an Armory. Ironically, the use of armor declined significantly during the 1600s.

The White Tower displays its collection roughly in chronological order with the older weapons on the top floor.

While the first inventory of Royal armor was taken upon Henry VIII's death, it wasn't until 1660 that the Armory in the White Tower began to display some of it as an early museum. Most of the surviving armor of the Tudor and Stuart kings is on display here.

Armor was little used by the infantry: It was heavy and costly, making it difficult to fight and equip large armies. The nobles and well-to-do could afford it and the horses that it took to move it.

At right is a combination gun and shield. Henry had 80 of these made.

Enclosed in a glass case is an equestrian figure in full armor or extremely high quality. The warrior's armor was probably given to Henry by Emperor Maximilian and is elaborately engraved (check out the hem of his "skirt.") . Most likely, horse and rider are equipped for tilting as this armor would be too heavy and too rigid to be of use during a long battle.

The horse armor was probably made in the workshops Henry set up in England using the craftsmen he borrowed from Maximilian.

Perhaps the most famous armor here is that of Henry VIII who brought English Armor up to Northern European standards.

The pieces shown are from around 1540 and could be interchanged depending upon the situation. The configuration shown is most likely for standing combat as a horse would probably not appreciate the protuberance. Probably Henry's six wives wouldn't either. It's wise to protect the crown jewels in battle, however. (Anyone remember Eldridge Cleaver's pants? Talk about 15 minutes of fame!)

Besides its defensive purpose, this armor is a work of art with the etchings based upon the designs of Hans Holbein the younger, his court artist who died of the plague while painting Henry's portrait. (Was he that ugly?)

Henry's sizes and armor changed as he aged and added girth. This set has a chest size of 54 inches. Henry was 49 years old when it was made. Born a year before Columbus stumbled onto America, Henry lived to be 55.

This full suit of armor probably weighs around 80 pounds. It may be good defense, but is probably too heavy for Henry to do much attacking.

Note the elaborate decoration on these tilting suits.

The top floor also contains displays of gunpowder as the White Tower and the Tower of London contained the largest ammunition store in England by 1600. By 1667, nearly 10,000 barrels similar to those shown below were stored here. Given that the Great London Fire of 1666 had stopped just short of the tower, the Brits began to move this volatile mixture elsewhere. (This was also wise in that the White Tower was serving as an early form of the National Archives at this time as well.)

The Armory tour starts on the top floor with the armor and swords of the 1500s and then descends to the rifles and small arms on the 2nd floor. Here's a shaky view of the displays from the stairway...