| London Bridge today is not the same London | | | | 1598, a German traveller counted over thirty |
| Bridge that crossed the Thames when it was | | | | heads. |
| first built. Peter, a priest and chaplain of | | | | |
| St. Marys of Colechurch, began the foundation | | | | But having so much on the bridge itself |
| of the original bridge in 1176 to replace a | | | | became dangerous indeed to inhabitants and |
| wooden bridge (expensive to maintain and | | | | travellers. Only three years after it was |
| repeatedly burned down) that had first been | | | | first completed, a huge fire destroyed its |
| built by the Romans. The original London | | | | buildings, killing perhaps 3000 people when |
| Bridge consisted of nineteen pointed arches, | | | | it jumped from one end of the bridge to the |
| each with a span averaging 7 meters, and | | | | other, trapping firefighting crowds between |
| built on 6-metre-wide piers. A twentieth | | | | the flames. The houses were quickly rebuilt |
| opening in the bridge was spanned by a wooden | | | | and in 1282 five of the bridge arches |
| drawbridge. With the building of this bridge, | | | | collapsed with the weight of winter ice. But |
| a peculiar effect was discovered the tide | | | | they too were rebuilt along with their |
| roared through the narrow arches every day | | | | requisite buildings, and the bridge continued |
| with great force; in fact, it was so | | | | as Londons sole crossing of the Thames until |
| dramatically affected that it created | | | | 1750, when Westminster Bridge opened. |
| temporary 5-foot-high cataracts every day as | | | | |
| it went in and out.. A new sport based on | | | | At about this time, the designer of |
| this nifty effect was shooting the bridge | | | | Westminster Bridge was hired to repair and |
| slipping through the arches in a small boat | | | | renovate London Bridge. Redesign and repair |
| when the tide was turning. | | | | was deemed necessary by the narrowness of the |
| | | | road, the huge supports of the bridge (which |
| Peter of Colechurch died in 1205, and his | | | | took up about a quarter of the rivers width), |
| work was completed by three other London | | | | and by the dangerous sport of shooting the |
| citizens by 1209. The bridge, already rather | | | | bridge and other health hazards posed by the |
| narrow for its function, became even narrower | | | | bridge. By 1762 the character of the bridge |
| (about 4 metres wide) when shops and homes | | | | was changed: all the houses were gone, the |
| were built along both sides of the roadway | | | | roadway was 14 metres wide, and the two |
| right on the bridge itself; by 1358, 138 | | | | central arches replaced by one great arch, |
| places of business were recorded in the tax | | | | allowing much easier passage for larger |
| rolls. And, like most older London buildings, | | | | boats. |
| the shops were built so that the upper floors | | | | |
| stretched over the roadway at last, the | | | | Alas, this central arch proved difficult to |
| bridge became more like a long tunnel lined | | | | maintain, and in the early 1800s a second |
| with shops, through which travelers and other | | | | bridge was built a few meters away. The |
| people flowed. One can only imagine the | | | | original London Bridge was demolished by |
| smell, with the sheltered road, no real | | | | 1832. The new bridge was called Rennies |
| drainage, and lots of horses and people! The | | | | Bridge. Designed by George Rennie and |
| houses were built so that they overhung the | | | | constructed by John Rennie, it was composed |
| water as well as the roadway, and were | | | | of only five arches, with the central span |
| anchored by tying them together across the | | | | reaching 46 metres. Rennies London Bridge had |
| street with arches of strong timber. In 1580, | | | | a very odd ending. It lasted less than 140 |
| water mills added to the general chaos of the | | | | years. Between 1968 and 1971, it was |
| bridge. | | | | dismantled and shipped across the Atlantic to |
| | | | the United States, where it was rebuilt in |
| The bridge was not only a home and place of | | | | Lake Havasu City, where it still stands, |
| business, it was a defensible structure. More | | | | crossing Lake Havasu, 255 kilometres south of |
| than once, its drawbridge was raised and men | | | | Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. To see that |
| fought under its strong tower to repulse | | | | London Bridge, Londoners have to fly ten |
| invaders or rebels, putting the wooden houses | | | | thousand miles! |
| built on the bridge at some risk. Until after | | | | |
| the Scottish Restoration, the bridge was | | | | The current London Bridge is modern |
| often decorated by the heads, quarters, or | | | | pre-stressed concrete with a central span of |
| body parts of the executed who were to be put | | | | 104 meters. |
| on display afterward. As late as the year | | | | |