The Red Cloud chief., 1891-08-21
LONDON BRIDGE.
Of the History Of That Ancient
Struct0ra.

LONDON BRIDGE.
Something OF the History Of That Ancient
Structure.
The original building Of the bridge
cannot be discovered. As long as we
know anything Of London the bridge
was there. For q long time 1t was a
bridge of timber, provided with a forti.
fed gate-one of the gates of the city.
in the year 1901. the chronicler relates
that on the feast Of St Edmund the
Archbishop; at the hour of SIX a
dreadful whirlwind from the southeast,
coming from Africa-thus do authors
in all ages seize upon the opportunity
of parading their knowledge-"from
Africa!" all that w~ay!-blew upon the
city. and overthrow upward OF six hun
dred houses and several churches.
greatly damaged the Tower. and tore
away the roof and part of the wall OF
St. Mary 10 Bow. in Cheapside. 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
afterward 1t narrowly escaped destruc-
ton when a great part of the city was
destroyed by fire Forty years later it
fire of 1885. 1t was Immediately re-
built, but I suppose hurriedly, because
thirty years later IL had to be con-
structed anew.
Among the clergy of London was
then living one Peter, chaplain Of =
small church in the Poultry-where
Thomas a Beckett was baptized-called
Colechurch. This man was above all
others skilled in the craft and mystery
of bridge building. He was perhaps a
member OF the fraternity called the
Pontific Tor bridge building) Brothers,
who about this time built the famous
bridges at Avignon. Pont st. Esprit
Cahors, Saintes, and La Rochelle. He
proposed to build a ton bridge over
the river. In order to raise money for
this great enterprise, offerings wero
asked and contributed by king, citizens
and even the country ut large. The
list of contributors was written out on
a table for posterity, and preserved in
the Bridge chapel.
This bridge, which was TO last for
six hundred and fifty years, took a.
long to build as King Solomop's temple.
namely, three-and-thirty years Before
it was finished the architect lay in his
grave. When It was completed the
bridge was nine hundred and twenty
six feet long and forty feet ~wide-Stow
says thirty feet; it stood sixty feet
above high-water; it contained q draw
bridge and nineteen 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 wss 40
uniformity in the breadth Of the
arches; they varied from ten to
thirty-two feet Over the tenth
and longest pier was erected a chapel
dedicated to the youngest saint Of the
calendar. st. Thomas of Canterbury.
The ere ction of q chapel on q bridge
was by no means uncommon. Every.
body. for instance, who has been In the
south Of France remembers the chapel
on the broken bridge Of Avignon.
gain, q chapel was built on the
bridge at Droitwitch. in Cheshire, and
one on the bridge at Wakefield, in
Yorkshire. Like the chapel at Avignon,
that Of London Bridge contained an
upper and lower chapel; the latter vas
built in the pier with stairs making it
accessible from the river. The bridge
gate At the southern end was fortified
by q double TO wer, and there was also
a tower at the northern end. The wall
or parapet Of the bridge followed the
line of the piers, so as to give At every
pier additional room The same ar
rangement used to be seen on the old
bridge at Putney.
The citizens have always regarded
London Bridge with peculiar pride and
affection. There was no other bridge
like il in the whole country, nor any
which could compare with Il for
strength or for size. think. indeed.
that there was not in the whole Of
Europe any bridge that could compare
with il; for Il was built not only over q
broad river. but . tidal river. in which
the flood rose and ebbed with
great vehemence twice . day. Later
on they built houses on either side, but
at the first the way was clear. The
bridge was endowed with broad lands;
certain monks called Brethren of St
Thomas on the Bridge. were charged
with the services in the chapel. and
with administering the revenues for the
maintenance Of the fabric.
The children made songs about it.
One of their songs. to which they danced.
taking hands has been preserved Il
is modernized. and one knows not how
old it is The author Of Chronicles Of
London Bridge gives it At full length
with the music. Here are two or three
verses:
London Bridge - broken down
Dance over my Lady Lee:
London Bridge 10 % down
with . gay iadee.
How b re build e up agalal
Dance over my Lady Lee:
How shall We build it up aGatAl
with q gay ladee
Build % up Nth stone "a seroae.
Dance over my Lady Lee:
Huxxai twill last Tor ages loAG
wRh . gay iaAee
waller Bessnt b Harpsrs 1Agaxins