The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-07-31
A WONDERFUL STRUCTURE
rHE STORY OF THE GREAT LONDON
BRIDGE.
It's Original Erection Buried In tho
Mists OF Antiquity-No Other
Bridge Like &c Anywhere

whirlwlnd from the southeast, CominS
from Africa-thus do all authors in all
ages seize upon the opportunity OF pa.
radino their neutrality-suspicious. Africa!
all that way!-blew upon the city and
overthrow upward of 600 houses and
several churches, greatly damaged the
Tower, and tore away the roof and part
of the wall or St. Mary lie Bow, in Cheap
vide. During the same storm the water
In the Thames rose with such rapidity
and increased so violently that London
Bridge was entirely swept away.
The bridge was rebuilt. Two years
efterward it narrowly escaped destruc-
ton when great part of the city was
destroyed by fire. Forty years ago it
did meet this fate in the still greater
fire Of 1885. 1t was immediately re-
built, but suppose hurriedly, because
-,birty years later it had to be constructed
living one Peter, chaplain of small
church in the Poultry-where Thomas
Beckett was baptized-called Cole
church. The man was, above all others,
skilled N the craft and mystery of
brIdgc-bullding, He was perhaps a mem
Der OF the fraternity called the Ponti6c
Cor bridge-building) Brothers, who about
this time built the famous bridges Mt
AvIgnor, Pont st. Esprit, Cahors, Saintes
ana Rochelle. lie proposed to build a
stons bridge oTcr the river. In order to
raise money for this great enterprise,
offerings were asked and contributed by
King, citizens, and even the country at
large. The list of contributors was
written out on table for posterity, and
preserved in the Bridge Chapel.
This bridge, which was to last for six
hundred and nifty years, took rs long to
build as King Solomon's Temple, namely,
three and thirty years. Before it was
finished the architect lay in his grave.
When it was completed the bridge was
sZo ieee long and forty feet wide-Stow
high water; it contained a drawbridge
and ninety pointed arches, with massive
piers varying from twenty five to thirty
four feet in solidity, raised upon strong
elm piles covered with thick planks. The
bridge was curiously irregular; there was
no uniformity in the breadth Of the arches;
they varied from ten feet to thirty-two
feet. Over the tenth aud longest pier
was erected chapel dedicated to the
youngest saint in the calendar, st.
Thomas of Canterbury. The erection of
chapel on Il bridge was by no means
uncommon. Everybody, TOR instance,
who has been in the south Of France re-
members the chapel on the broken bridge
at Avlgnon. Again, a chapel Wa; built
on the bridge at Droitwich, in Cheshire,
and one on the bridge at Wakefield, in
. Oh hS,ii.e. L,he the cnapeI Mt AvIgnon,
that of London Bridge contained an up
purlc1a rntf pier E&ftSSAtt WITH stairs, making It
gate at the southern end was fortified by
double tower, and there was also
tower at the northern end. The wall or
parapct of the bridge followed the line
OF the piers, so as to give at every pier
additional room. The same arranpe.
mcnt used to be seen on the old bridpo
at Putnev.
The citizens have always regarded
London Bridge with peculiar pride and
affection. There was no other bridge
like 1t in the whole country, nor any
which could compare with it for strength |
or lov size. think, indeed, that there |
was not in the whole of Eiro0e apv |
bridge that could compare with it; for |
1t was built not only over broad river,
but tidal river, in which the fool
rose and ebbcd with great vchemence
twice dav. Later on they built houses
on either side, but at first the wav waa
broad lands; certain monks, called
Brethren Of st. Thomas on the Bridge,
were charged with the services in the
chapel, and with administering the rev.
cnues for the maintenance Of the fabric.
The children made songs about it.
One of their songs, to which they
danced, taking hands, has been pre-
served. 1t is modernized, and one
knows not how old it is. The author of
Chronicles Of london Bridqs gives it ut
full length. with the music. Here are
two or three verses:
London Bridge is broken down,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay la lee.
How shall we build it up again?
Dance over my LAZY Lee;
How SHALL we build it up againo
with gay ladee.
Bull il up with stone so strong.
.Dlucs over my Lady Lee;
Huzza! twill last for ages long,
With gay ladee.
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