London Bridge....question?

Question

I have another question for our Yahoo patrons across the water in London. First, has London Bridge always been called that, I am particularly interested in what it was called in the 14th century, and how near is it to St. Paul's Cathedral? If too far away is there another bridge within say walking distance of any bridge across the Thames? And if so which bridge & have you any idea how old that bridge would be? I know there is Blackfriar's bridge & Westminster Bridge.

Or is there any other large church or cathedral within walking distance of any of the bridges in existence in the 14th century (assuming of course that the church was also there during that time). I am still researching for my story, and by the way thank you all very much for your excellent and immediate response to my last question.

Answer 1

Hi!

There's been a bridge across the Thames in the place London Bridge is now for longer than history records, although the first major bridge was probably built by the Romans about two thousand years ago. It's unclear how long it's been called "London Bridge," but it was certainly called that when "Old" London Bridge was built in 1209. There's evidence that the "London Bridge is Falling Down" rhyme is older than "Old" London Bridge, though. It's quite likely that it's been called that since the Romans built it.

It's about half a mile from St. Paul's Cathedral. I'd call that walking distance, but there are three bridges that are closer (and some railway bridges). The closest bridge to St. Paul's directly south, a modern footbridge called the Millennium Bridge, and it was built in 2000. The other two close bridges are Blackfriars Bridge, built in 1769 and rebuilt in 1869; and Southwark Bridge, built in 1819 and rebuilt in 1921.

London Bridge was London's only bridge over the Thames in the 14th century. Directly south of the bridge (only about 300 feet) is Southwark Cathedral, which was already very old in the 14th century. This is probably what you want.

If you want something smaller, there was another church a bit further south (still nearby) where St. George the Martyr is today. To the north, about half a mile away, was (and is) the church of St Helen's Bishopsgate.

So: 14th century, one bridge, Southwark Cathedral directly south, St. Paul's Cathedral half a mile north, and a few smaller churches nearby.

Here's a satelite view of Southwark Cathedral:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Southwark+cathedral,+London&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=26.119945,82.265625&ie=UTF8&ll=51.506452,-0.088288&spn=0.001249,0.005021&t=h&z=18&om=0

I had fun researching this, and I hope it helps with your story. Good luck!

Answer 2

London bridge now resides in Arizona.An American consortium bought it ,thinking they were buying Tower Bridge.Also,no bridge across the Thames ever cost a penny in public money or taxes,due to a fund set up about 500 years ago.

Answer 3

I don't know any of the crap you asked, but did you know that the City of London sold the original, (or really old, anyway) London bridge and it was bought by Lake Havasu, Arizona and it is now there, for all to see?

Answer 4

The full title of it was London Bridge is Falling Down, Falling Down. Failure to call it by its real name results in losing a childrens playground game that will seriously alter the course of history because if you fail at this game you can not ever amount ot anything. Both John Kerry and George Bush lost this game while in College.

Edit-Obviously you missed the real meaning of the joke, because it would require one to have a kean grasp of the social climate in America. Today we try to keep out children from losing or feeling defeated/dissapointed. The famous Gym motto- If you had fun youve won. Some people belive if children lose at something as simple as a gym dodgeball game they are failure. The joke pokes fun at this notion because if someone looses at theses basic games, one is still capable of amounting to something in life.

Answer 5

lol thats right, being the commander in chief of the greatest nation on the planet is amounting to nothing. Thats funny, you're a fking joke, dude.

Answer 6

Read my short essay on:

http://www.freewebs.com/hobilar/

Answer 7

English tend to be literal. London Bridge has always been London Bridge but the Bridge you see Today was not there yesterday. The nearest Cathedral is Southwark on the South Side. And the Bridge with the Towers is actually TOWER BRIDGE and the true London Bridge is actually rather boring. The image everyone has of London Bridge is that of the Tower Bridge so called not because of its towers but because it is close to the site of The Tower of Londom.

Confused Yet?

I know how many hate Wikipedia but it is expedient and yes I know this stuff but unlike some I like to give credit where due.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge
""London Bridge is a bridge in London, England over the River Thames, between the City of London and Southwark. It is between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge; it also forms the western end of the Pool of London. London's original bridge made this one of the most famous bridge emplacements in the world. It was the only bridge over the Thames in London until Westminster Bridge was opened in 1750. On the south side of the bridge is Southwark Cathedral and London Bridge station. On the north side is the Monument to the Great Fire of London and Monument tube station.
The bridge is designated as part of the A3 road, maintained by the Greater London Authority,[1] however the bridge is privately owned and maintained by the Bridge House Trust charity.
A bridge has existed at or near the present site for nearly 2000 years. The first bridge across the Thames in the London area was built of wood by the Romans on the present site around 60 AD. The location was most likely chosen as a bridgeable spot which still had deepwater access to the sea. The bridge fell into disrepair after the Romans left, but at some point either it was repaired or a new timber replacement constructed, probably more than once. In 1014, the bridge was torn down by the Norwegian king Olaf, as he was aiding king Aethelred in a successful bid to divide the defending forces of the Danes who held the walled City of London plus Southwark, thereby regaining London for the Anglo-Saxon king. This episode might have inspired the well-known nursery rhyme London Bridge is Falling Down although the version of the song we know today refers to the many bridges that were destroyed and rebuilt, and the trading done on the shops over it ("Silver and Gold") in the 14th century [1] so the song's origin is presumably of a much later date. The rebuilt London Bridge was destroyed in 1091 by storm that spawned a T8/F4 tornado, which also struck St. Mary-le-Bow, and is known as the London Tornado of 1091.[citation needed] It was destroyed yet again, this time by fire, in 1136."""


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Bridge
""""Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, which gives it its name. It has become an iconic symbol of London and is sometimes mistakenly called London Bridge, which is the next bridge upstream. The bridge is owned and maintained by Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the Corporation of London.


http://www.oldlondonbridge.com/
""London did not exist in A.D. 43 when the invading Roman army marched inland - with only the river Thames to be crossed. The first bridge to be made was most probably erected near the site of the later Mediaeval bridge.
Around AD80, the first London Bridge was built from the Southwark settlement and at its northern end a large town grew up. This was to become London.
After the Romans left Britain, the bridge, which was most likely built of timber, would have fallen into disrepair to be replaced by a ferry and intermittent timber bridges built during Saxon Times.
The next record of a bridge being in place was in 984 when a report was recorded of the punishment by the Thames of a widow and her son who had driven pins into the image of a man. The woman was taken to London Bridge and drowned while her son escaped. The bridge at this time was built out of wood.
(skpping ahead to your time period)
Peter de Colechurch was chaplain of St Mary Colechurch and as Thomas a Becket was baptised there, the Chapel on the bridge was dedicated to the newly martyred saint. Peter de Colechurch, who died in 1205, was buried in the crypt.

The Chapel had an upper floor off the street and a Crypt accessible from the river level. Both levels were connected by a spiral staircase.
People and merchants began building houses and shops on the bridge and this continued in the years to come. They projected far out on both sides of the bridge supported by stout Timbers and were joined together across the roadway making the street appear like a dark tunnel in places. Many tradesmen brought their specialities to the bridge and it was soon nearly completely covered with buildings.

The present version of the song "London Bridge is Falling Down - My Fair Lady " though based on the old Norse saga, was composed in the 13th century when the unpopular Queen Eleanor was given the tolls from the bridge as a present from her husband, Henry III, in 1269. She was a prolific spender and put all the toll money to her own personal use instead of spending it on the bridge.

Needless to say, the bridge fell into serious disrepair. The old song then became reborn as one of angry sarcastic criticism against the Queen, "London Bridge is Falling down, my Fair Lady". The bridge finally returned to the control of the City of London in 1281, but that winter with heavy ice pushing against the bridge, the ill-maintained structure suffered severe damage with five arches collapsing into the water, and a temporary timber bridge had to be built for that part.
There was also a Stone Gate House on the bridge and on its roof stood poles where traitors' heads were placed. This practice started in 1304 and continued until 1678. In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell's head was placed on one of the poles.

In 1390, a Joust took place on the bridge between Lord Welles, English ambassador to Scotland, and Sir David De Lindsay, a Scots knight, who had quarrelled over the valour of their respective countrymen.The Scots knight was the victor and was later made ambassador to England.

Sir John Hewitt, one Lord Mayor Of London certainly lived in one of the fine houses on the bridge and it is told that when his little daughter fell out of the window into the river, Sir John's apprentice, Edward Osborne dived into the Thames to rescue her.

The daughter grew up and although courted by many suitors, Sir John said "No, Osborne saved her and Osborne shall marry her". Osborne did marry her and he in his turn became Lord Mayor of London as well.
On 5th July 1450 the bridge was held against Jack Cade and his rebels.This was to be the most terrible night of its history. Houses were burnt and hundreds were slaughtered by the sword or perished in the flames but the rebellion was eventually put down and Cade's Head was stuck on a pole over the drawbridge. """


Joy ------------------