London Bridge is Falling Down

The famous medieval Old London Bridge was built over a 33-year period, with construction starting in 1176 and reaching completion in 1209.

Commissioned by King Henry II and designed by the priest Peter of Colechurch, this iconic stone structure replaced a series of earlier wooden crossings. It stood for over 600 years and was famous for being densely packed with shops, houses, and even a chapel.

It was an entire neighbourhood suspended over the water, crowded with merchants, families, horses, carts and travellers. Beneath them, boats risked the violent currents created by the bridge’s narrow arches, while waterwheels supplied parts of London with fresh water.

Old London Bridge survived fires, floods, collapses and centuries of relentless traffic before finally being demolished in 1831.

The bridge is mentioned in two stories in London Tales. Firstly, in Burning Shadows, described in 1666 on the day the Great Fire of London started. Fortunately, the bridge was spared the conflagration due to the wind direction - unusually blowing east to west.

The second mention comes in Holly's Dream, set in 1814 when the condemned bridge was awaiting demolition. Two girls sing the nursery rhyme, London Bridge is Falling Down, that dates from the early 19th century, when the dilapidated structures on the bridge had become a hazard.

Read London Tales for more fascinating insights into the city's history:

http://mybook.to/LondonTales