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Encyclopædia - Old London Bridge
For a long time now I have been fascinated by London Bridge. Not the new one, but the old one, that was built in the years from 1176-1209, and demolished in 1831.
As I find out more about it, I will try to create a wealth of information available here concerning the old bridge (incidentally, it was the one featured in the nursery rhyme London Bridge is falling down)
Brief Chronology of London Bridge
- 43 - The first bridge across the River Thames built by the Romans.
- 1176 - Building begins on a stone London Bridge in place of the wooden bridge dating from Roman times.
- 1209 - Building completed.
- 1305 Custom of displaying heads of traitors on Gatehouse of London Bridge begins with William Wallace.
- 1358 - 138 shops recorded as existing on London Bridge.
- 1383 - A latrine costing £11 (equal to a year's wages for a skilled man) built on London Bridge.
- 1437 - Greenwich Palace rebuilt by Duke of Gloucester.
- 1491 - Henry VIII born at Greenwich.
- 1516 - Mary I born at Greenwich.
- 1533 - Elizabeth I born at Greenwich.
- 1552 - Peter Morris builds London's first waterworks on London Bridge.
- 1577 - Nonsuch House built.
- 1666 - Great Fire of London begins in Pudding Lane
- 1675 - Construction of Greenwich Royal Observatory begins
- 1677 - Construction of Monument completed
- 1692 - Greenwich Royal Naval Hospital opens
- 1726 - Another bridge built at Putney.
- 1758-62 - All houses removed and the two central arches replaced by one arch to ease navigation by barges.
- 1762 - Houses on London Bridge pulled down and bridge widened
- 1831 - London Bridge by John Rennie opened
A reconstruction of London Bridge.