Souvenir guide to the Tower of London

1957 [reprinted 1961]

I have commented on guides to the Tower of London before. There is a further one to add, the Ministry of Works Guide-book (1957, reprinted 1961). The guide is illustrated with a series of black-and-white images. The author is not identified. There is a fold-out paper plan inside the back cover.

There is a section on the traditions of the Tower. These include the beating of the bounds by the choristers of St Peter ad Vincula.

There is a section on the ravens: ‘The birds are not popular with everyone, they are often noisy, and will amuse themselves by removing putty from windows, causing damage to unattended cars, and taking sly pecks at ladies’ legs!’

This is one of the earliest illustrated souvenir guidebooks in the series issued by the Ministry of Works (and MPBW): Stonehenge and Avebury (1959); Osborne House (1960), Beaumaris Castle (1961), Caernarvon Castle (1961), Conway Castle (1961), Harlech Castle (1961), Monasteries of North-east Yorkshire (1962), Deal and Walmer Castles (1963), Grime’s Graves (1963), Lullingstone Roman Villa (1963), Roman Forts of the Saxon Shore (1964); Fountains Abbey (1967), Dover Castle (1967), Three Shell Keeps (1969).