The Jewel Tower, or ‘King’s Privy Wardrobe’, was built c.1365 to
house Edward III’s treasures. One of only two buildings of the
original Palace of Westminster to survive the fire of 1834, the
tower features a 14th-century ribbed vault. It displays
Parliament Past and Present, a fascinating exhibition about the
history of Parliament. The second floor now includes illustrated
panels, telling the story of this small but important building.
It also contains a case holding a few of the old Imperial
Weights and Measures as the Jewel Tower was home to the Weights
and Measures Office between 1869 and 1938. The centrepiece of
the display is eleven bronze measures from 1/4 gill to one
bushel all dated between 1883 and 1895. There are also three
George IV (1824) measures for one pint, a quart and a gallon.
Other items in the case include a case of apothecary’s measures
pipettes and standards for one cubic inch, a Troy pound, a 2lb
weight and the very tiny grain weights in their original wooden
box. More items of interes