7.2
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Paid
Cost
Historic
Feel
Why it's Wildland
7.2A surviving fragment of the medieval Palace of Westminster, the Jewel Tower has served as a royal wardrobe, a record archive and a home for the standards of weights and measures.
The Jewel Tower earns its place for the layers of national history packed into a small medieval building: royal possessions, parliamentary records and the measurement standards used across Britain and its empire. It is a focused heritage visit rather than a day-long destination.
Historic · Compact
Find your way
Open mapAbingdon Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3JX
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
Explore the tower’s three floors of displays, then use its reconstructions and surviving objects to imagine the medieval Palace of Westminster before the 1834 fire.
Things to do
Explore the three floors of displays
Follow the tower’s changing roles through displays about its use as a royal wardrobe, a House of Lords record archive and the National Weights and Measures Office.
30–60 minutes
See Westminster before the 1834 fire
View the digital reconstructions of Westminster Hall, St Stephen’s church and the Palace of Westminster as they appeared before the fire.
Look for the Westminster Capitals and Palace sword
English Heritage identifies 11th-century Westminster Capitals and an Anglo-Saxon Palace of Westminster Sword among the objects on display.
Notice the medieval stone vaulting
Take time to look up at the tower’s ribbed stone vaulting, noted in the supplied visitor information.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · 30–60 minutes
Quick Escape: Step inside a medieval Westminster survivor
- 01
Check current opening times and ticket details with English Heritage before travelling.
- 02
Explore the tower’s three floors of displays.
- 03
Look for the ribbed vaulting, historic objects and digital reconstructions of the medieval Palace of Westminster.
Half day · Half day
Make a Westminster history half-day of it
- 01
Visit the Jewel Tower and explore its displays and digital reconstructions.
- 02
Continue to Westminster Abbey or the Houses of Parliament area; check each place’s access and visiting arrangements separately.
- 03
Consider the nearby Chapter House and Pyx Chamber, listed by English Heritage as 0.03 miles from the tower; confirm its current access before planning around it.
Verified history
The Jewel Tower is a surviving part of the Palace of Westminster. English Heritage describes its use as a royal wardrobe, a House of Lords record archive and the National Weights and Measures Office. The supplied visitor information says standards kept here helped determine weights and measures for Britain and its empire. The tower’s displays include digital reconstructions of the Palace of Westminster before the 1834 fire. A supplied secondary account dates its construction to 1365–66 and says it survived that fire; consult English Heritage’s history page for further detail.
Hidden details
A misleading name — The tower’s story is broader than its name suggests: English Heritage presents it as a royal wardrobe, a records archive and a place where weights-and-measures standards were kept.
Westminster’s lost medieval setting — The digital reconstructions show Westminster Hall, St Stephen’s church and the Palace of Westminster before the 1834 fire.
When to go
· During opening hours; the supplied English Heritage page lists 10am–5pm and last entry at 4.30pm.
The visit is centred on an indoor historic building and displays, so no seasonal advantage is established by the supplied sources.
Most of the described visit is indoors. Check current conditions and visitor arrangements before travelling.
Worth pairing with
Chapter House and Pyx Chamber
English Heritage lists this nearby heritage site 0.03 miles from Jewel Tower. Check its current opening and access arrangements before making it part of your visit.
The Cenotaph
English Heritage lists the Cenotaph 0.28 miles from Jewel Tower, offering a nearby memorial-history pairing.
What to look for
Look for the ribbed stone vaulting, digital reconstructions of Westminster Hall, St Stephen’s church and the Palace of Westminster before the 1834 fire, and the Westminster Capitals and Anglo-Saxon Palace of Westminster Sword described by English Heritage.
The story
Royalty, parliamentary history, weights and measures
Best time to go
Year-round; most rewarding as part of a Westminster history visit.
Visit during the listed opening hours and allow time to explore the three floors. Confirm current hours and last entry before setting out.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers · Families
Before you go
Address
Phone
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: 10am-5pm
- Tuesday: 10am-5pm
- Wednesday: 10am-5pm
- Thursday: 10am-5pm
- Friday: 10am-5pm
- Saturday: 10am-5pm
- Sunday: 10am-5pm
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
English Heritage lists the tower as open daily, 10am–5pm, with last entry at 4.30pm. Check current opening times and ticket information before visiting.
Check before visiting
Parking
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Toilets
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Food & drink
The English Heritage page lists a café serving hot and cold drinks, crisps, cakes and ice creams. Check current availability before visiting.
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Dogs
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Check before visiting
Accessibility
The source record says the car park is not wheelchair-accessible; this does not establish access inside the tower. Check directly with English Heritage about step-free access and facilities.
Check before visiting
Cost
Paid
Gallery
Place photographs
Keep exploring
Around Jewel Tower
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
