The yeoman warders
trip to London is never complete without a visit to the Tower of
A London. The yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters’ ,guard the Tower.
King Henry VII first introduced Beefeaters in 1485. They were his
Bodyguards. They looked after the prisoners in the Tower and guarded the
Crown Jewels. These days they guide the tourists who visit the Tower. They
Also take care of the eight big black ravens which live in the Tower.
There are 36 Yeoman Warders. They all live in Tower with their
families. The Beefeaters are famous for their red and gold uniform, but they
only wear this on formal occasions. Most of the time they wear a dark blue
uniform with red trimmings.
No one is exactly sure where the name Beefeater’ comes from. One theory is
that the warders got meat instead of money! Others say that the name
comes from the French word buffetier . Buffetiers were the guards in the palace of
the French king . They protected the king’ s food.