Hm Tower Of London Liberty Boundary Markers

HM Tower of London Liberty Boundary Markers

A set of 12 boundary markers dating from 1868 and later, located within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (a further 9 markers within the City of London are listed separately). The markers form part of a larger series of 22 surviving boundary points arranged in an irregular arc from Tower Stairs in the west to Tower Bridge in the east, marking the historic extent of the Tower Liberty.

The majority of the markers are identical in form: flat round-topped iron posts bearing the initials "W.D." (War Department) with the broad arrow or Pheon symbol denoting Board of Ordnance ownership, numbered sequentially. These likely belong to a set installed by the War Department in 1868, though some have subsequently been relocated or renewed. Other markers vary considerably in form and appearance and can only be approximately dated if at all.

The individual markers within Tower Hamlets are as follows:

Marker #7: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed "^ W.D. No.7.", positioned at the base of the wall to nos. 8-10 Tower Hill to the left of Tower Hill Terrace steps. Possibly dating to 1868.

Marker #8: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed "^ W.D. No.8.", set at the base of the wall separating All Hallows churchyard from nos. 8-10 Tower Hill at the corner of Tower Hill Terrace and Byward Street. Possibly dating to 1868.

Marker #13: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed "^ W.D. No.13.", attached to the wall above basement steps at 43 Trinity Square. Possibly dating to 1868.

Marker #16: Square metal plaque inscribed "WD ^ 16", set into the pavement on the north side of Tower Hill. Not shown on the 1909 survey; probably dating to the early 20th century.

Marker #17: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed "^ W.D. No.17 15 feet north", set against railings on the south side of Tower Hill. Possibly dating to 1868, though presumably moved to its present position when Tower Hill was widened in the 1880s.

Marker #18: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed "^ W.D. No.18", set against railings on the south side of Tower Hill. Possibly dating to 1868, though presumably moved to its present position when Tower Hill was widened in the 1880s.

Marker #25: Square metal plaque with embossed inscription reading "25 TL BM", set into the roadway at the junction of Mansell Street, Minories and East Smithfield. Presumably renewed during post-war road widening.

Marker #26: Square metal plaque marked with a triangle and inscribed "E II R No.26", set into the pavement at the junction of East Smithfield and St Katharine's Way. Formerly attached to the western range of buildings at St Katharine's Dock; presumably renewed when these were demolished in the 1970s.

Marker #27: Square metal plaque marked with a triangle and inscribed "E II R No.27", set into the pavement on the east side of St Katharine's Way in front of International House. Formerly attached to the western range of buildings at St Katharine's Dock; presumably renewed when these were demolished in the 1970s.

Marker #28: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed "^ W.D. No.28", positioned at the base of steps to the Tower Bridge approach ramp facing St Katharine's Way. Presumably installed in its present location when Tower Bridge was completed in 1894.

Marker #29: Painted iron post with rounded top, inscribed "^ W.D. No.29", set at the base of the wall to the Tower Bridge approach ramp facing St Katharine's Way. Presumably installed in its present location when Tower Bridge was completed in 1894.

Marker #31: Painted iron post with rounded top, said to be inscribed "^ W.D. No.31" though detail cannot be easily viewed, positioned at the base of the abutment wall beneath Tower Bridge. Presumably installed in its present location when Tower Bridge was completed in 1894.

Two surviving markers are excluded from this listing: marker #10, which was installed inside the Port of London Authority building upon its completion in 1922 and is included in that building's separate listing, and marker #15, a commemorative plaque erected in 1992.

Historical Context

From the Middle Ages until the late 19th century, the Tower of London and its surroundings—known as the Tower Liberty or Liberties—possessed special administrative status distinct from the neighbouring City of London and County of Middlesex. By the early 13th century, the Tower's prerogatives extended to cover strategically important land immediately beyond its outer walls, including Petty Wales to the west, Tower Hill to the north, and what is now St Katharine's Way to the east. This buffer zone was maintained free of buildings for defensive reasons, although encroachment became inevitable as London expanded eastward. Jurisdictional disputes between the City and the Tower were frequent in the 16th century, leading to a legal judgment in 1536 defining the exact boundaries of the Liberty and the first formal mapping of these boundaries in Haiward and Gascoyne's 1597 survey. The Liberty's sphere of influence reached its maximum extent in 1686 with the addition of royal land in Spitalfields, East Smithfield and Little Minories.

The Liberty's importance declined during the 19th century: outlying areas were removed from its jurisdiction, its legal authority was progressively reduced before being merged into that of the County of London in 1894, and its absorption into the London Borough of Stepney in 1900 removed its final administrative responsibilities. A ceremonial function was maintained, however, through a procession held every third Ascension Day in which the choir of St Peter ad Vincula Church ceremonially beats the boundary, marked by posts standardised by the War Department in 1868 and periodically renewed thereafter. Bombing during the Second World War and post-war road widening resulted in the loss of numerous markers, though some were subsequently replaced or relocated. Of the original 31 boundary points, 22 still survive.