The White Tower had a religious function; the Chapel of St John is an integral part of the White Tower.
The Chapel of St John was constructed in the Romanesque style.
The Chapel of St John was intended for religious worship and to impress visitors.

Common misconception

William I often used the Chapel of St John for his own private worship.

Although this was the plan, William died before the chapel was finished.

Keywords

Chapel - a small church, or a room used as a church in a larger building
Church - a building for Christian worship
Romanesque - the style of building that was fashionable in Western Europe which recalled the power of the Roman Empire
Nave - the long central part of a church, often with aisles on both sides

Readily available online mapping websites provide a street view style walkaround inside the chapel that could be used to enhance pupils' understanding of the chapels features for Task A.

Teacher tip

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Which word describes a member of the ruling elite?

Correct Answer: noble, nobles, royals

Q2.

Complete the sentence: The responsibilities of the included the maintenance of the tower’s defences; paying and supervising the garrison; guarding prisoners and collecting taxes.

Correct Answer: castellan, keeper

Q3.

Who was the first keeper of the White Tower?

Othuer fitz Count

Correct answer: Geoffrey de Mandeville

William de Mandeville

Hasculf de Tany

Q4.

Which of the following suggest there was limited comforts for royal and noble residents of the White Tower?

Correct answer: not enough fireplaces

Correct answer: small windows

tapestries and rugs

Correct answer: most of the court would have slept on floor mats

north wall garderobes

Q5.

Who lived in the bailey of the White Tower?

Correct answer: servants

Correct answer: garrison

nobles

Correct answer: blacksmiths

chaplain

Q6.

In the king's absence, who was the most important resident of the White Tower?

chaplain

Correct answer: keeper

knight

archer

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.

Which word describes the style of building that was fashionable in Western Europe which recalled the power of the Roman Empire?

Correct Answer: Romanesque

Q2.

Complete the sentence: The White Tower's the Evangelist was designed as a place of private worship and as a public display of Norman dedication to God.

Correct Answer: Chapel of St John, St John's Chapel

Q3.

Which of the following statements show William I intended to use the White Tower's chapel as a public display of Norman dedication to God?

Ordinary people who worked in the White Tower did not use the chapel.

Correct answer: There was space in the chapel for larger gatherings of people.

William planned to have a throne placed at the western end of the chapel.

Correct answer: The apse of the chapel is visible from the exterior of the White Tower.

Q4.

What was the purpose of the chapel's triforium?

to allow William to be seated high up in the area closest to Heaven

Correct answer: to allow spectators to see Norman religious observance

Correct answer: as a space for musicians during ceremonies

as a space for monks and nuns during ceremonies

Q5.

What did William plan to have placed in the western end of the chapel is an archway?

throne

choir-stalls

pews

pulpit

Q6.

Where did ordinary people who worked in the White Tower worship?

alongside William in St John's Chapel

Correct answer: in the parish church of the Tower of London

in St John's Chapel when William was not in residence

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