We have seen that William gave London a charter (S107); but
overlooking the place in which the charter was kept, he built the
Tower of London to hold the turbulent city in wholesome restraint.
That tower, as fortress, palace, and prison, stands as the dark
background of most events in English history.
It was the forerunner of a multitude of Norman castles. They rose on
the banks of every river, and on the summit of every rocky height,
from the west hill of Hastings to the peak of Derbyshire, and from the
banks of the Thames to those of the Tweed. Side by side with these
strongholds there also rose a great number of monasteries, churches,
and cathedrals.