Ceremony of the Keys (London) Ceremony of the Keys (London) The Ceremony of the Keys is an ancient ritual, held every evening at the Tower of London, when the main gates are locked for the night. It is said to be the oldest military ceremony in the world, and is the best-known ceremonial tradition of the Tower. At exactly 9.53 pm, the Chief Yeoman Warder, dressed in Tudor watchcoat and bonnet, and carrying a candle lantern, leaves the Byward Tower and falls in with the Escort to the Keys, a military escort made up of armed members of the Tower of London Guard. The Warder
Ceremony of the Keys (London) place by a Tower officer, after securing the gates, date back to the 16th century. In its current form the ceremony is likely to date to the 19th century when the institution of the Yeomen Warders was reformed by the then Constable of the Tower, the Duke of Wellington. The ceremony has never been cancelled, and has been delayed only on a single occasion due to enemy action during the Second World War. During an air raid on London, a number of incendiary bombs fell on the old Victorian guardroom just as the Chief Warder and the escort were coming