The Tower of London’s Forgotten Architects: Lewis Alexander Hall and the Royal Engineers, 1840–1847

This article introduces the life and work of Lewis Alexander Hall, who was Commanding Royal Engineer for the London District from 1841 to 1847. Together with his team of engineers and draughtsmen, he oversaw major changes at the Tower of London and led the construction of some of its most iconic buildings—including the Waterloo Barracks, which now house the Jewel House. Yet, Hall is very little known and hardly ever cited in scholarship, despite the deep and tangible impact he had on the Tower’s architectural and military development in the mid-nineteenth century. As with most military men, his role has been overlooked by scholars who have usually focused on the works of architects Anthony Salvin and John Taylor. Meanwhile, Hall’s ingenious solutions and undertakings have typically been credited to the Duke of Wellington, who was then Constable of the Tower. This article thus seeks to address this injustice, showing how Hall’s achievements at the Tower continue to be relevant today.