When William the Conqueror conquered England, one of the first things he did was to build the Tower of London, which became the center around which the royal court began to gravitate. As the years went by the Tower’s function shifted variously, most famously as a prison for high-profile enemies of the crown. Today you can enter the tower without fear of decapitation. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in England, and is very well kept and run. Of the myriad royal artifacts therein, the most popular and beautiful would have to be the Crown Jewels, which are worth a visit in themselves.
The walk through the Tower and environs may have left you somewhat parched. Fear not, traveller, for London is laden with multitudinous purveyors of quenching liquids. The most popular would be Ale, of course, and there are several famous destinations where tourists are known to acquire it. One with a very poetic name, Dirty Dick’s in Bishopgate, is said to have pre-fire walls in the fabric of its structure. Another one, the Angel on the Thames, is said to be built on pre-Norman foundations.