Novocentenary of the Tower of London

Series

Series Name: British Movietone News

Issue

Issue No.

2577

Date Released

22 Oct 1978

Stories in this Issue:

1Novocentenary of the Tower of London

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 1

Summary

MOVIETONE CARD TITLE: Tower of London - 900th Anniversary. DESCRIPTION: Nine hundred years ago, after his conquest of England, William I instigated the building of the White Tower in London. In the centuries that followed it was to be the background to many events in the country’s history. Now a major tourist attraction, and housing the Crown Jewels, the Tower still retains its ceremonies. Every three years, on Ascension Day, Beating the Bounds takes place. A procession led by the Chief Warder moves around the boundary stones and each is beaten with rods. This ceremony was done in the past to remind all of these boundaries. Each evening at ten o’clock, the gates of the Tower are closed and locked. This is done by the 700 year old Ceremony of the Keys. SHOTLIST: GV Tower of London from across river. GV ditto. MS up Tower (White). TS model Tower of London. GV procession out of Tower for Beating the Bounds. MS Chief Yeoman Warder leads procession of choirboys. GV crowd. CU choirboys beating boundary marker with cane. GV procession moves on. MS ditto Tower in b/g. CU yeoman warders in procession. CU clergyman. MS choirboys with canes. CU boundary marker hit by canes. MS procession moving. Tilt up to Tower walls. LS Tower Wharf and Traitor’s Gate. MS Traitor’s Gate from Tower Wharf. CU Traitor’s Gate inside Tower. GV Tower buildings from Tower Green. CU plaque marking site of scaffold on which were executed Queens Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey and others. MS site of block. CU plaque. CU book Life of Sir Walter Raleigh written in Bloody Tower. CU painting of Raleigh. GV Lower Chamber of the Bloody Tower where Raleigh was imprisoned. GV Roman wall remains. CU hands unlock padlock. MS raven’s cage - warder releases ravens pan birds to ground. CU pan with raven. MS raven on poster. MS another raven. GV the White Tower. CU Blades of Haliberds. CU portrait Henry VIII. CU top half Henry VIII’s armour. CU feet of armour and plaque ‘Armour for Foot Combat Henry VIII’. CU top of armour ditto. MS suits of armour in showcase. CU pull focus part of Imperial Crown of India. CU entire Imperial Crown of India. CU pull back St. Edward’s Crown (Coronation Crown). CU pull back Queen Mary’s Crown made for her Coronation 1911. CU the sceptre with the cross (part of Cullinan Diamond) zoom in. CU pull focus Imperial State Crown. MCU ditto zoom in to Black Prince’s Ruby. GV Tower of London at dusk. GV ditto Ceremony of the Keys - GV sentry by Byward Tower shoulders arms. CU sentry presents arms. GV yeoman warder with keys and escort arrives. CU yeoman warder shuts Tower gate. LS ditto. CU keys into lock and turned. MS warder turns key in another lock. CU key turned. MS escort comes to attention. MS guardsman about turns and warder regains escort. GV keys and escort move off. GV keys and escort. LS ditto approach sentry at Bloody Tower. MS sentry challenges keys etc. BS ditto keys and escort halt. MCU sentry challenging. SV yeoman warder saying ‘The Keys’. MCU sentry ‘Whose Keys’. SV yeoman warder ‘Queen Elizabeth Keys’. MCU sentry ‘Pass QE Keys’. SV keys and escort move off. LS ditto. BV keys & escort march forward and turn left by Bloody Tower. MCU officers at top of steps. LS ditto. TS ditto. GV keys & escort march towards steps. TS ditto. BV from keys & escort to soldiers on step as they present arms. CU warder with keys raise hats and say ‘God preserve Queen Elizabeth’. GV soldiers (Amen). TS soldiers on steps. MS warder collects lamp from soldier. TS soldiers on steps as warder leaves. CU bugler sounds ‘Last Post’. GV Tower of London at dusk. GV White Tower at dusk. GV Tower of London.

Keywords

Commemorations; Buildings and structures; Celebrations and festivals

Locations

London

Card file number

78/57

Credits:

Commentator: Leonard Martin

Length of story (in feet)

710

Story extras:

Film clip

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