London Bridge History

The first London Bridge was built about 53 A.D. It was a military style pontoon bridge.

Londinium and the bridge was destroyed by the rebel army led by Queen Boudica in 60 A.D - a new city was then built to the East.

A new city and bridge was built. London Bridge spanned the wide Thames Between the 'South Works' (Southwark) and Londinium.

By 300 A.D. Londinium was an established city and port, with London Bridge as the gateway to and from the South.

The Romans went home in 410 A.D. and the Anglo-Saxons took control. Britannia became 'Angle-Land'.

The Norse King Olav defeated the Danish invaders by pulling down the wooden bridge in 1014.

The Normans invaded in 1066 and rode over London Bridge from the south, King William I gave the city a charter to rule itself.

In 1190 the first stone bridge was built by the Norman monk Peter de Colechurch. It was to stand for some 622 years.

Peter de Colechurch died in 1205. He is interred in the Chapel of St Thomas on the bridge.

William Wallace was the first man to have his head displayed on London Bridge in 1305.

The grizzly gate house on the Southwark side displayed the heads of traitors.

In 1390 a famous joust took place on the bridge. It was between Englishman Sir John Welles and Scot Sir David de Lindesay. The Scottish knight won the joust.

Non Such House was constructed on the bridge in 1577, it took the place of the old drawbridge. It was fabricated in Holland, and not one single nail was used to put it together.

The rebel Jack Cade led another peasant's revolt in 1450 AD. He lost his head which was displayed on the bridge; as was the fate of another rebel Wat Tyler in 1381.

The bridge has suffered many fires in 2,000 years, mainly in 1215, 1633 and 1666. It always rose again like a Phoenix.

The chaos on the bridge made it hard to collect the tolls, so a new rule was imposed in 1722. 'Keep to the Left' was established and adopted by the whole country.

The stone bridge caused the Thames to flow slowly, so it used to freeze over in severe weather. Fairs were often held on the frozen pack ice.

The old bridge and the new bridge in 1831. St Magnus the Martyr church still stands today with its clock.

The present London Bridge was constructed next to the Rennie Bridge in 1971.

HM Queen Elizabeth II opened the present bridge in 1973. Are you in the picture? If so contact us for a complimentary pass.

The Rennie bridge was sold off. It was bought, then dismantled and resurrected in Lake Havasu Arizona U.S.A. by Robert Paxton McCulloch for $4.6m.