The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-02
LONDON BRIDGE
History Of a Structure That Has a World Wide
Pane,

The original building of the bridge cam
not be discovered. As long as we know
anything of Loudon the bridge was there.
For long time it was bridge of timber.
prov del with fortified 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 6,
dreadful wind from the southeast, coming
from Africa-thus do all authors in all ages
seize upon the opportunity of parading their
knowledge-"fr Africai' al 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 Of Mary lie Bow in
Cheapside. During the same storm the
water In the Thames rose with such rapid
ity and increased so violently that London
Bridge was entirely swept away. Tile
bridge was rebuilt. Two years afterward 1t
narrowly escaped destruction when great
part of the city was destroyed by fire.
Forty years later it did meet this fate in the
still greater fire of 1135. 1t was Immediately
rebuilt, but | suppose hurriedly, because
thirty years later it had to be constructed
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-buiding. de was, per-
haps, member of the fraternity called the
Pontfc Tor bridge-buildiDg) Brothers, who
about this time built the famous bridges at
Avignon, POnt St Esprit. Cahor5 Saintes
and La Rochelle. De proposed to build
stone bridge over the river. In order TO
raise money for this great enterprise, offer
lDgs were asked and contributed by King,
citizens, and even the country at large. The
list of contributors was written out on
table Tor posterlty, and preserved in the
bridge chapel.
This bridge, which was to last for $50
years, took as long to build as King Solo
mons temple, namely, three-and-thirty
years. Before it was finished the architect
lay in his grave. When it was completed
the bridge was 926 feet long and forty feet
wlde-StOw says thirty feet; it stood sixty
feet above high water; it contained draw
bridge and nineteen pointed arches with
massive piers varying from twenty-five 10
thirty feet in soiidity, raised upon strong
elm piles covered with thick planks. The
bridge was curlOusly irregular; there was
no uniformity in the breadth OF the arches
they varied from ten feet to thirty-two
feet. Over the tenth and longest pier was
erected chapel dedicated TO the young
est saint in the calendar, St. Thomas
of Canterbury. The erection of a
chapel on bridge was by no means I'M
common. Everybody, for instance, who
has been IN the south Of France remembers
the chapel on the broken bridge at Avig-
bridge at DrOitwicb, in Cheshire, and one
on the bridge at Wakefield, in Yorkshire.
Like the chapel at Ayignon, that of LOn-
don Bridge contained an upper and a lower
| chapel; the latter was built IN the pier with
| stairs, making 1t accessible from the river.
| The bridge gate at the southern end was
| fortified by double tower, and there WAS
also 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
pnHltInnQl ma Nnnf
| 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 it in the
| whole country, nor any which could COM
pare with 1t for strength or for size. | thiuk,
| indeed, that there was not in the whole of
! Europe any bridge that could compare with
| it; for 1t 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 trey built houses on either
side, but at the first the way was clear. The
bridge was endowed with broad lands; GER
tain monks, called Brethren of ST. Thomas
On the Bridge, were charged with the ser
vices in the chapel and with administering
the revenues Tor the maintenance of the
fabric.
The children made songs about 1t. One
OF their songs, to which they danced, tax
ing hands, has been preserved. 1t is mod
ernized. and one knows not how old it is.
The author of Chronicles of London Bridge
gives it at fun length with 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 ladee
How shall we build 1t up again?
Dance over my Lady Lee;
How shall we build it up again
With gay adee.
Build It up with stone so strong,
Dance over, my Lady Lee:
HuzZa twill last for ages long
With gay ladee
Walter Besant, in Harper's Weekly.