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Tower of London poppies: how to see the spectacular installation

A total of 888,246 ceramic poppies will commemorate every British fatality in the First World War

Antonia Molloy
Tuesday 28 October 2014 10:23 EDT
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Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red
Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red (AFP/Getty)

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There are now just two weeks left to see the thousands of ceramic poppies installed at the Tower of London in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.

Scroll down for gallery

Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red will remain on display until Remembrance Day on 11 November.

Almost all of the 888,246 poppies have now been placed in the moat, with each one representing a British fatality between 1914 and 1918.

Additionally, all of the flowers have been sold. They will be picked and distributed after Armistice Day.

If you haven’t yet had the chance to view the sea of red for yourself, here’s the best way to go about it.

Where to view the installation

The poppies are displayed in the moat at the Tower of London. The best view is from Tower Hill and along the moat path and there’s no charge. Walk the whole way around the castle to take in the whole installation, including the arch stretching over the drawbridge.

When to visit

Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red is worth seeing at any time of day or night. At 4.55pm each day between now and 10 November, names from the Roll of Honour are read aloud. If you want to avoid the crowds, go early in the morning or late in the evening.

How to get there

Train: The nearest stations are Fenchurch Street or London Bridge, which are approximately a five minute and 15 minute walk away respectively.
Tube: Take the Circle or District Line to Tower Hill or the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Tower Gateway.
Bus: Numbers 15, 42, 78, 100, RV1. The Tower of London is also served by all major sightseeing bus tours.

Where the money goes

The Tower of London is working with six service charities. These are:
Cobseo - www.cobseo.org.uk
Combat Stress - www.combatstress.org.uk
Coming Home - www.coming-home.org.uk
The Royal British Legion - www.britishlegion.org.uk
SSAFA - www.ssafa.org.uk
Help for Heroes - www.helpforheroes.org.uk

For more information visit: poppies.hrp.org.uk.

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