| Royal Armouries |
Article Index for Royal |
Website Links For Royal |
Information AboutRoyal Armouries |
|
THE MUSEUM The Royal Armouries is the oldest museum in the United Kingdom . There must have been arms and armour at the Tower Of London since the time of William The Conqueror ( 1066 ) and the first recorded weapons are during the reign of King John (1199–1216) and by the reign of Edward III it had become an arsenal to supply the English army and navy. The museum started to take shape during the Tudor Period and after the death of Henry VIII in 1547 the contents of other palace armouries including Henry's own equipment came to the Tower. The Tower Armouries received their first recorded visitors in 1489 but these were important visiting dignitaries. After the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 the paying public were admitted and was allowed to see the new displays set up to show the power and splendour of the English monarchs, such as the Spanish Armoury , which contained instruments of Torture and punishment; and the Line of Kings, mounted figures representing English monarchs. The main museum is now located in Leeds , West Yorkshire , which opened in 1996 . It has five galleries covering War, Tournament , Self-Defence, Hunting and the arms and Armour of the Orient. There are year-round live demonstrations within the galleries by teams of trained interpreters and from spring to autumn of Jousting and Falconry which take place in the tiltyard. Inside, interpretations of history are performed, such as demonstrations of various Sword fighting techniques. Visitors can watch the gunmaker producing Weapons . EXTERNAL LINK |
|
|