Author: Catherine    McDonald

Major: History & Secondary Education

Graduation Year: 2019

Thesis Advisor: Stephen Miller

Description of Publication: Underfunded and decaying, the Tower of London’s outlook at the beginning at the 19th century was bleak. Then used as a military garrison, its former glory as a palace and prison was mostly forgotten. The Tower of London was transformed into a tourist attraction in the Victorian Age because of the rise of the middle class and the changing values that they had. The middle class valued education and wanted to use their leisure time to further their knowledge. History in particular interested them. Popular culture reflected this change in attitude about a subject previously not looked to for entertainment. The Tower of London was highlighted by authors and illustrators through historical stories of former prisoners Victorians became increasingly interested in their national history. The Tower’s popularity grew, and new inquiries were made by tourists. This led to an inquisition from Parliament and the formation of a Committee charged with finding ways that the Tower could be improved. The end result was increased accessibility for Victorians. The Tower was transformed into an area that was geared towards visitors learning about the building and country’s history.

Location of Publication:

URL to Thesis: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/500/