by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:19th January 2017
“No grave but the sea”
This wonderful memorial in the heart of London commemorates both men and women of the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets who died during both world wars and have no grave but the sea.
Visitors often overlook this memorial, as it is located just opposite the imposing Tower of London.
Hopefully, you can take time out of your busy schedule and give this memorial the time that it deserves.
Why not Pin it for later?
Where is Tower Hill in London?
How to get to Tower Hill?
Tower Hill Station is on the Circle Line and the District line
Don’t forget if you have a contactless bank card, or a card assigned to your phone you tap and pay with that. (For more check out the TFL site(Transport for London))
A touch of London's history
The Great WarThe vaulted passageway on the south side of Trinity Square Gardens, commemorating almost 12,000 Mercantile Marines lives lost during World War I.
Close-up of the Great War Memorial
Inside the Memorial
Every name is engraved upon the 12 bronze plaques, which you are free to respectfully stroll through and reflect. Queen Mary unveiled the First World War memorial on 12th December 1928. A total of 3,305 merchant ships were lost, along with 17,000 lives.
Peaceful London
HonorJust beyond the World War I commemoration are two striking statues, one of an officer and the other of a seaman. These two beautiful figures guide you down into the sunken garden of the World War II memorial.
An Officer
A Seaman
We have a little book on our shelves that we sometimes delve into when we're about to hit an area of London.
Packed full of historical facts, and broken down into the different regions of London, it's a great resource to help you see what's hidden in plain sight.
Available in Kindle & Hardback editions, it's an excellent addition to anyone's collection who loves London.
Remembering London
World War IIStepping down into the semi-circular sunken garden, you’ll be astounded at the sea of names that engulf you. There are almost 24,000 British seamen named, along with 50 Australian seamen.
During the Second World War, a total of 4,786 merchant ships were lost, along with 32,000 lives. More than one quarter of this total were lost in home waters.
Neptune at the Tower Hill Memorial
A mermaid at the Tower Hill Memorial
Queen Elizabeth II unveiled this WWII memorial on 5th November 1955.
No grave but the sea
In total 35,839 identified casualties are remembered here, which have “no grave but the sea”.
London's little treasures
Trinity Square GardensVisitors' panels are displayed around the garden to give you further insight into the lives of these brave men and women.
The view across Tower Hill Memorial and Trinity Gardens
As these memorials are set within a garden, you’ll often find escaped City workers whiling away their lunch break on the grass.
Tube Station Walks
We love to explore London on foot; a great way to break it into bite-sized pieces is to pick an underground station.
Why not browse our posts on tube station walks to find out what we uncovered in different districts?
Discovering London
10 Trinity Square10 Trinity Square, which was once the headquarters of the Port of London Authority, stands proudly overlooking these memorials towards the River Thames.
(Some of you may recognize it from the James Bond film ‘Skyfall’)
The Sundial at Tower Hill Gardens
Outside 10 Trinity Square at dusk
Where to stay in London
The Tower hill district sits on the edge of the City of London, London's historic financial district.
There are plenty of choices, why not check out Booking.com for something that suits your requirements?
Historic London
A 14th Century Scaffold SiteWithin Trinity Square Gardens also lies a memorial to the Scaffold site once used for public executions, dating from 1381 to 1747. Many of whom were dignitaries and clergymen.
One of the plaques which lies in the memorial garden reads;
"To commemorate the tragic history and in many cases the martyrdom of those who for the sake of their faith, country or ideals staked their lives and lost" "On this site more than 125 were put to death, the names of some of whom are recorded here"
Site of the gallows in Trinity park
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