London Tickets
Tower of London

Bloody Tower

Included with Tower of London tickets

Timings

RECOMMENDED DURATION

3 hours

Bloody Tower at the Tower of London

Top things to do in London

Stage performance of Come Alive Westend

London Theatre Tickets

from

£6

London Eye overlooking the Thames River at sunset.

London Eye

from

£29

Stonehenge under a clear blue sky, part of London to Stonehenge tours.

London To Stonehenge Tours

from

£58.66

Draco Malfoy costume in Slytherin common room on Harry Potter London tour.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London Tickets

from

£74.25

I'm sorry, I can't help with that.

Madame Tussauds London

from

£27

Westminster Abbey exterior with tourists in London.

Westminster Abbey

from

£31

The Shard skyscraper in London at sunset with cityscape and river views.

The View from The Shard

from

£19

Visitors observing a sea turtle in the tunnel at SEA Life London.

SEA LIFE London Aquarium

from

£28

Windsor Castle with visitors walking along the Long Walk path, England.

London To Windsor Castle Tours

from

£32

White car with artistic designs in Moco Museum London gallery.

Moco Museum London

from

£26

Stone statue of a hooded figure at London Dungeon, London.

London Dungeon

from

£27

Visitors exploring immersive art installation at Frameless London.

Frameless London

from

£26

Child holding Paddington Bear toy, smiling with adult and costumed guide at Paddington Bear Experience.

Paddington Bear Experience

from

£34

Tower Bridge spanning the River Thames in London, featuring its iconic twin towers.

Tower Bridge

from

£18

Christmas lights and angel decoration on Regent Street, London.

Christmas in London

from

£25

Visitors climbing the O2 Arena roof in London with safety gear.

Up At The O2 Climb

from

£37

Buckingham Palace with colorful flower gardens and visitors in London.

Buckingham Palace

from

£14

Mother and daughter on train from Heathrow Airport, child holding tablet.

Heathrow Airport transfers

from

£7.80

St Paul's Cathedral dome in London against a blue sky.

St. Paul's Cathedral

from

£27

Visitors exploring Emirates Stadium in London.

London City Passes

from

£52

National Express bus in front of the London Eye, England.

National Express London

from

£5.50

Victorian glasshouse and colorful tulip garden at Kew Gardens, London.

Kew Gardens

from

£25

Hampton Court Palace entrance with red brick towers and Union Jack flag, London.

Hampton Court Palace

from

£29

Highclere Castle, iconic setting for Downton Abbey, with a flag atop its tower.

Downton Abbey

from

£130.50

Statue of Winston Churchill with Westminster Palace in London.

Churchill War Rooms

from

£30

Visitors posing with Shrek at Shrek's Adventure in London.

Shrek's Adventure

from

£21

Clink Prison Museum entrance in London, showcasing historical prison artifacts.

The Clink Prison Museum

from

£10

Quick overview

Access: Included in all general admission tickets
When you'll see it: Midway through the inner ward route
Visit duration: 10–15 mins self-guided/15–20 mins with a Beefeater guide
Best time: Early morning immediately after the opening ceremony
Restrictions: No flash photography inside; standard respectful attire

The Bloody Tower is included with all Tower of London tickets. No separate ticket is needed. It sits inside the Inner Ward near the medieval palace side of the fortress, and most visitors reach it after the entrance zone and one or two major stops, though you can visit it in any order once inside. Book an early timed-entry ticket, or choose a guided tour if you want the princes and Raleigh stories explained on site.

How to best experience the Bloody Tower

Best time to visit

Go in the first 60–90 minutes after the gates open, especially Tuesday–Thursday. The rooms are small, and the interpretation panels are easier to read before the Crown Jewels traffic spreads across nearby routes. If you wait until late morning, expect bottlenecks at the doorways.

How long to spend

Plan 10–15 minutes self-guided, or 15–20 minutes with a guide. That gives you enough time to follow the princes story, look at the Raleigh-related interpretation, and pause in the chambers. If you only allow five minutes, it feels like a pass-through.

Where it fits in your itinerary

Place it after one headline stop, such as the Crown Jewels or White Tower, but before you’re tired. The Bloody Tower works best once you’ve oriented yourself inside the fortress. Keep a flexible 10–15-minute window for it rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Crowd patterns

Crowds build from about 11am as visitors fan out from the Jewel House and surrounding buildings. Because the rooms are narrow, even a short line can slow movement and block sightlines. Early morning and the final hour of the day are usually calmer.

What to prioritize if time is short

If you only have 10 minutes, focus first on the interpretation about Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, then move to the room linked with Sir Walter Raleigh. Stand back from the doorway while reading. Skip long rereads of panels, not the main spaces.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most visitors walk through too quickly because the Bloody Tower looks modest from the outside. Slow down and read the room captions or the significance disappears. Also, don’t leave it until peak lunch hours, when nearby circulation is at its busiest.

Best tickets to experience the Bloody Tower

Ticket typeWhy choose it

Standard timed entry

Best if you want flexibility and can reach the Bloody Tower early, before nearby rooms start to bottleneck.

Guided tour

Best for understanding the princes mystery and Raleigh imprisonment without relying only on wall panels.

Early access or Beefeater meet & greet

Best if the Bloody Tower matters to you; earlier entry means quieter rooms and better pacing across the fortress.

Why it’s worth seeing

Few rooms at the Tower of London hold so much unresolved history in such a compact space. Many visitors assume the Bloody Tower is just a dramatic name, but it is the tower most closely linked with the disappearance of Edward V and his brother in 1483, as well as Sir Walter Raleigh’s later imprisonment. Inside, the value is in slowing down for the specific details that turn rumor, captivity, and royal politics into something tangible.

The princes story panels

The upper room’s interpretation focuses on Edward V and Richard, Duke of York, last known within the Tower in 1483. Read these panels before moving on; they frame the building not as a generic prison, but as the centre of England’s most enduring royal mystery.

Raleigh’s chamber

The room associated with Sir Walter Raleigh shifts the mood from disappearance to long imprisonment. Notice how the domestic furnishings and writing-focused interpretation soften the space. It helps you picture confinement not as one dramatic moment, but as a controlled daily life over the years.

The windows and thresholds

Pause at the narrow windows and worn stone thresholds before leaving. They remind you this was a defended working tower, not a purpose-built museum. The restricted light and tight circulation explain why the rooms still feel tense even when they’re busy.

Historical and cultural significance

The Bloody Tower’s most famous crime may never be provable. For more than 500 years, it has been linked to the disappearance of Edward V and his younger brother in 1483, though the full truth remains contested. Built in the 13th century as part of the Tower’s defended inner route, it later housed high-status prisoners such as Sir Walter Raleigh. Today, it functions as one of the Tower’s most concentrated spaces of historical interpretation.

👉 Explore the full history of the Tower of London

Notable figures

Edward V | King of England

One of the two princes last seen inside the Tower in 1483.

Know more

Richard, Duke of York | Prince

Edward V’s younger brother, central to the Bloody Tower mystery.

Know more

Sir Walter Raleigh | Courtier and prisoner

Spent years imprisoned here; his story shapes today’s rooms.

Know more

Richard III | King

Frequently linked to the princes’ disappearance, though proof remains absent.

Know more

Know before you go

  • Open: Bloody Tower follows Tower of London opening hours.
  • Summer hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9am–5:30pm; Sunday–Monday, 10am–5:30pm.
  • Winter hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 9am–4:30pm; Sunday–Monday, 10am–4:30pm.
  • Last entry: Usually 1 hour before closing; timed-entry tickets admit you within your selected 30-minute window.

​Detailed timings

Address: Tower of London, London EC3N 4AB, United Kingdom

  • Nearest metro: Tower Hill station, about 2–3 minutes on foot.
  • Entry point: Use the main Tower of London entrance on the Tower Hill side, then continue into the Inner Ward.
  • Position in route: Bloody Tower is inside the paid complex; allow about 10–15 minutes from the main gate, depending on your route and crowds.
  • Direct access: Not possible. You must enter the Tower of London first; the Bloody Tower has no separate street entrance.

​Get directions

  • Wheelchair access: Partial across the Tower of London; not all historic buildings are step-free.
  • Bloody Tower access: Limited. Upper rooms involve historic stairs and can be difficult for wheelchair users and some mobility devices.
  • Ground surface: Expect cobbles, thresholds, uneven stone, and low-lit interiors.
  • Companion entry: Complimentary adult carer tickets are available on the day at the Ticket Office with supporting documents.
  • Assistance dogs: Guide dogs are welcome across the site.

​Plan your visit

  • Photography: Generally allowed for personal use in most Tower areas; restrictions apply in the Jewel House and Chapel of St John.
  • Not permitted: Large bags, tripods, selfie sticks, and other photographic or recording equipment.
  • Food and drink: Not allowed inside the buildings.
  • Smoking: Not allowed inside the buildings.
  • Re-entry: Tower tickets are valid for one entry only; once you leave, re-entry is not permitted.

​Plan your visit

  • Stairs: Expect narrow historic staircases if you want to see the upper Bloody Tower rooms.
  • Standing: Plan to stand for 10–20 minutes with limited seating inside.
  • Space: Doorways and passages are tight, especially when groups pause at interpretation panels.
  • Difficulty: Easy to moderate for most visitors, but awkward if you struggle with stairs or uneven surfaces.
  • Alternative: If stairs are uncomfortable, focus on the exterior and other more accessible Tower buildings.

​Plan your visit

Frequently asked questions about the Bloody Tower

Yes. Entry to the Bloody Tower is included with every valid Tower of London ticket. No separate ticket exists.

More reads

Tower of London tickets, highlights, and planning guide

Crown Jewels guide: what to see and expect

White Tower history, armor, and visitor tips today