Traditional nightly locking-up ceremony of the Tower of London, with a Yeoman Warder, held daily at 21:30 on the fortress's battlements.
The Ceremony of the Keys is the nightly locking up of the Tower of London, one of the oldest surviving enactments of its kind, and it's something you can watch in person. It takes place on the fortress's battlements and has been carried out every single night, without fail, for at least 700 years. The ceremony is led by a Yeoman Warder, and the exchange is still spoken exactly as it was centuries ago: the sentry cries 'Halt, who comes there?', the Yeoman Warder replies 'The keys', and after 'Whose keys?' comes 'King Charles' keys', followed by 'Pass then, all's well'.
It might sound like a bit of theatre, but it's still a working part of the Tower's life. While the monarch no longer lives here, the Crown Jewels and many other invaluable objects still do, so the ceremony remains relevant. The Yeoman Warders, better known as Beefeaters, have guarded the Tower since Tudor times, and the Tower itself has stood for almost a millennium. There's also the ravens to consider: at least six are kept on site, because legend says that if they ever leave, the kingdom would fall.
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It runs daily from 21:30 to 22:05, and you meet at the main entrance, the West Gate. Tickets are a suggested £30, but you can pay anywhere between £10 and £50. If you're a member, there are members-only dates on 18 October, 15 November and 6 December 2026, also starting at 21:30.
