Taking a walk through history may not be as easy for all of us now as when we were at LBS! The Tower of London is a 1,000-year old castle – it has been a secure fortress, a royal palace, an infamous prison, and now protects the Crown Jewels. It wasn’t designed for ease of access! Pathways and courtyards are covered in cobble stones, and moving inside the castle involves stairs.
Please don’t be shy – we are all classmates ready to help each other. The information below should help you determine the support you might need during our Class Reunion at the Tower, which you can alert us to when signing-up for the event or by contacting us by email at info@msc13.online.
You will find below details of the movements that are planned for this Class Reunion at the Tower of London:
- From the entrance gate to the Crown Jewels
- From the Crown Jewels to the cocktail reception
- From the cocktail reception to the dining hall
From the West Gate Entrance to the Crown Jewels
At the start of our visit, we shall be accompanied by a Yoeman along a cobble-stoned pathway from the West Gate to the main courtyard, over a distance of approximaly 380 metres, and from there into the Jewel House, which houses more than 100 objects and 23,300 gemstones, and receives up to 15,000 tourists per day during the Tower’s opening hours, whereas we shall have the Jewel House to ourselves! An opportunity not to be missed! That pathway can be taken using a wheelchair, as per the access routes shown on the map at the bottom of this page.
The Jewel House is step-free with smooth flooring, the exhibit is on two levels with a platform lift for wheelchair users. Note that this platform lift is not suitable for mobility scooters. Wheelchair users may bring their own wheelchair; a limited number of wheelchairs are also available from the Tower’s business reception which is adjacent to the West Gate entrance where our visit begins. Please notify us in the comment field when submitting your sign-up information if you require a wheelchair or other forms of assistance.
From the Jewel House to the White Tower reception
After viewing the Crown Jewels, the party will cross the courtyard to the White Tower where the cocktail reception will be held. We recommend using the accessible toilet facilities located near the Jewel House prior to entering the White Tower which does not have any facilities.
Whereas most guests will enter the White Tower via its South entrance, those with mobility restrictions will be offered to use the North entrance (marked “L”) on the map at the bottom of this page, which has fewer steps. Please note, however, that this “easier” access to the White Tower still entails walking up 14 steps. This will lead you directly into the hall where the cocktail reception will take place, surrounded by the exhibition of armoury and items tracing the Tower’s long history.
From the cocktail reception to the dining hall
After the cocktail reception, the party will proceed to the dining hall located on an upper level of the White Tower; this entails walking up another 30 steps. To access the cocktail reception area as well as the dining area, wheelchair users need to be able to walk short distances, and walk up steps at their own pace, supported by a classmate as needed. The stairs leading from the cocktail reception area to the dining area are unfortunately too narrow to allow a person to be lifted up sitting in a wheelchair.
If you have any concerns or need more detailed information, don’t hesitate to contact us on info@msc13.online.
