Legends of London's Origins Historic Days Out Legendary Origins and the Origin of London's place name Before the advent of modern archaeology there was little evidence upon which to base any discussion of the origins of London. By reading Roman authors they knew the City was called Londinium and was in existence in the Roman period. The only evidence available for London before the Romans was legend and place name evidence. The most influential writer on the origins of Londinium was the highly controversial 12th Century cleric Geoffrey of Monmouth who wrote the seminal 'The History of the Kings of Britain' in about 1136. In this book he traces the origins of London (and Britain) back to its foundation by Brutus, great grandson of Aeneas - the Trojan. 'Once he had divided up his kingdom, Brutus decided to build a capital. In pursuit of this plan, he visited every part of the land in search of a suitable spot. He came at length to the River Thames, walked up and down its banks and so chose a site suited to his purpose. There then he built a city and called it Troia Nova.

It was known by this name for long ages after, but finally by a corruption of the word it came to be called Trinovantum.' This bold story was probably based on a desire to give London a pedigree as old as Rome's and was substantiated by a misunderstanding of part of Julius Caesar's account of his invasions of Britain in 55 and 54 BC. Upon crossing the Thames Caesar encountered 'the Trinovantes, about the strongest 'civitas' in south-eastern Britain'. Geoffrey of Monmouth read this as: 'about the strongest city in south-eastern Britain'. Historians now prefer to read this as: 'about the strongest political unit (tribe, chiefdom, civic administration) in south-eastern Britain' Thus Geoffrey summoned into existence the shadowy city of Trinovatum. But he knew it was called Londinium by the Romans so he had to find a route from Trinovatum to Londinium.

He continues: After Lud, the brother of Cassivellaunus, who fought Julius Caesar, had seized command of the government of the kingdom, he surrounded the capital with lofty walls and with towers built with extraordinary skill, and he ordered it to be called Kaerlud, or Lud's City, from his own name. Thereafter, we are told the town was renamed by the legendary King Lud as Kaerlud, then Kaerlundein, and eventually London. The truth of all this is hard to tell. We have no independent evidence of Lud the brother of Cassivellaunus and so, Geoffrey may have been gratuitously making history up as he went along. But we should probably give him more credit as he was attempting to marry now lost Celtic folklore, historical sources, chance archaeological finds and dubious place name evidence into a coherent whole. He may have seen the creation of King Lud as necessary to get from Caesar's Trinovantum to Claudius' Londinium. It is certain that Geoffrey's historical objectivity was seriously marred by his understandable desire to play up the part of the native Britons.

He was a British patriot trying to counter balance centuries of historical writing that gave pre-eminence to Roman, Saxon, and Norman versions of history. An early origin for London gave London back to the natives. Unfortunately archaeologists have excavated enough of London to prove it did not exist as a town before AD 47. So, if we discount Geoffrey's derivation of the Londinium what is the accepted meaning? This has become so controversial that virtually all archaeological and historical works give no origin for the name Londinium at all. They admit that linguists believe it to be pre-roman and possibly pre-celtic in origin. Before the 20th Century most ideas centred around the 'don' at the end of the name deriving it from 'dun' which is used extensively in the 'celtic world' as the name for a fortress or hill-fort. So London was thought to be either the 'Lake Fort' from Llyndid or Londinos's Fort, from an otherwise unknown celtic personal name derived from Londo - which means fierce. So Londinos Dun might be translated as the fierce person's Fort!

Recently, Richard Coates has come to the conclusion that the name derives from pre-celtic Old European and from the name Plowonida. This springs from 2 roots, 'plew' and 'nejd'. The former meaning something lto do with flowing, swimming, boating, washing away, the latter more simply to flow. The suggestion is that it was the name for the part of the River Thames below Westminster and before the Estuary which was too wide to ford - i.e. it means boat river or flooding river, river too wide to ford. When a settlement was set up by Plowonida the celts added a place name suffix 'on' or 'onjon' giving Plowonidon or Plowonidonjon, but the British Celts did not pronounce the P and so through linguistic change it developed into Lundonjon and then Lundein or Lundyn which is the form of the name that the Welsh used and from which the Romans derived Londinium.

The absence of any evidence for a pre-roman City at all can probably be overcome by speculation that it might have been the name of a small settlement in the area for which there is now evidence or even that it might have been the name of the pre-roman settlements in Southwark. The former is an updated extract from Kevin Flude and Paul Herbert from 'The Citisight's Guide to London' Virgin Book 1990, Reprinted by Author's Choice 2001 Facts about Romans for Kids - Roman Britain Homework help Video on the Roman Empire Who founded Rome? According to the Roman legend, Romulus was the founder of Rome. Romulus and his twin brother Remus were the sons of the God Mars. When they were very young they were abandoned by the banks of the River Tiber and left to fend for themselves. Luckily for them they were found by a she-wolf who took pity on them fed them with her milk. The boys were later found by a shepherd who raised them. The boys grew up to be very strong and clever and they decided to build a town on the spot where the Shepherd had found them. They named their town Rome. When did the Romans invade Britain?

First invasion - Caesar's first raid In August 55 B.C. (55 years before Jesus was born) the Roman general, Emperor Julius Caesar invaded Britain. He took with him two Roman legions . After winning several battles against the Celtic tribes (Britons) in south-east England he returned to France. Second invasion - Caesar's second raid The following summer (in 54 B.C.) Caesar came to Britain again landing at Walmer near Deal in Kent. This time he brought with him no fewer than five legions (30,000 foot soldiers) and 2,000 cavalrymen (horse riders). This time the Romans crossed the River Thames. After more fighting, the British tribes promised to pay tribute to Rome and were then left in peace for nearly a century. Third and final invasion Nearly one hundred years later, in 43 A.D. (43 years after Jesus was born), Emperor Claudius organised the final and successful Roman invasion of Britain. General Aulus Plautius led four legions with 25,000 men, plus an equal number of auxiliary soldiers . They crossed the Channel in three divisions, landing at Richborough, Dover, and Lympne.

( Click here for more information on the map of Kent in Roman times ) The biggest battle was fought on the banks of the River Medway, close to Rochester. It went on for two days before the Celtic tribes retreated. Many tribes tried to resist the Romans. It took about four years for the invaders to finally gain control over southern England, and another 30 years for them to conquer all of the West Country and the mountains and valleys of Wales. The battle for Yorkshire and the remainder of northern England was still underway in AD 70. The first Roman city was Camulodunum also called Colonia Vitricencis. (We know it by the name of Colchester.) It was the seat of Roman power and governance of Brittania until sacked during the Boudiccan revolt. London was then established as a seat of governance, and only became important after the Camulodunum event. Why did the Romans invade Britain? Why the Romans came to Britain is not quite certain. Two reasons have been suggested: The Romans were cross with Britain for helping the Gauls (now called the French) fight against the Roman general Julius Caesar.

They came to Britain looking for riches - land, slaves, and most of all, iron, lead, zinc, copper, silver and gold. How long did the Romans stay in Britain? The Romans remained in Britain from 43 AD to 410 AD. That is almost four hundred years (four centuries). What lanuage did the Romans speak? The Romans spoke a form of Latin known as vulgar Latin. It was quite different from the Classical Latin that we learn today. Why did the Romans leave Britain? Their homes in Italy were being attacked by fierce tribes and every soldier was needed. What did the Romans call London? The Romans called London 'Londinium'. The River Thames was quick way to transport goods between Britain and the Continent. The Romans saw this and built the town of Londinium around the river's main crossing point. Find out more about Roman London Why was the Roman Empire important? The Romans, even today, play an important part in our lives. Many of the things we do or have originated from the Romans. The Romans gave us Language The language we used today was developed from the Romans. The Romans spoke and wrote in Latin and many of our words are based on Latin words.

The Calendar Did you know that the calendar we use today is more than 2,000 years old? It was started by Julius Caesar, a Roman ruler. It is based on the movement of the earth around the sun, and so is called the 'solar calendar.' The solar calendar has 365 days a year, and 366 days every leap year, or every fourth year. The names of our months are taken from the names of Roman gods and rulers. The month 'July,' in fact, is named after Julius Caesar himself! Laws and a legal system The laws and ways we determine what to do with someone who is accused of breaking a law came originally from the Roman Empire. The Census The Roman Empire was huge and included millions of people living over a large area. How did they keep track of all these people? Easy! They counted them! The Roman Empire began the practice of taking a census, or a 'count,' of all the people within its boundaries every so often. Today, many countries like ours take a census every 10 years.

The Romans also gave us: straight roads A Tour of Roman London Ancient Britain ï¿½ Castles ï¿½ Churches/Cathedrals ï¿½ Houses/Manors ï¿½ Museums ï¿½ Towns ï¿½ Countryside ï¿½ London ï¿½ History & Folklore ï¿½ Travel Tips Test daily news A Tour of Roman London by Sean McLachlan London is such a vast and vibrant city, it's hard to imagine a time when it wasn't a vital part of England's life, but before the Romans arrived, there wasn't even a town here. When Julius Caesar marched his legions through the land in 54 B.C., he found nothing but a few scattered villages. The land was chalky and bad for farming, and the Thames couldn't be forded anywhere downriver of Westminster, making it more of a barrier than an asset to the native Celts, who were brave warriors but poor sailors. Julius Caesar decided not to expend the resources to bring the island into the Roman sphere, but the Romans returned under the emperor Claudius in 43 A.D.

Claudius came with the intention of making Britain a new province in the empire and quickly conquered the various Celtic tribes, who were too divided to make a united stand. While the land in the London basin was poor, the Romans realized its strategic importance and built their provincial capital here, naming it Londinium. The word comes from the Celtic word lond, meaning wild, an indication of state in which the Romans found it. They built a bridge just a few yards west of where London Bridge stands today and Claudius himself visited the city while on a tour of his new province. There's a stereotype that Britannia, as the Romans called it, was the backwater of the Empire, but in fact the province and its capital thrived. Londinium's forum, where people met for commerce and socializing, was the biggest outside of Italy, as was its basilica, a building used for communal meetings in the days before that type of architecture became associated with the Christian church. At its height Londinium had a population of about 30,000, making it one of the largest cities outside Italy, with a busy international trade, rich villas, an amphitheatre, and several temples.

Londinium stood in the area now known as Square Mile, or The City, which remains the financial center of the British Isles to this day, and if you know where to look you can still see some remains from the Roman capital. On Noble St., just south of the Museum of London, stands a portion of the Roman fort built in 110 A.D. to protect the city at its northwestern corner. Here you can see the foundations of one of the towers and part of the wall. The wall atop it dates from the nineteenth century, and it's interesting to see that they built upon the old Roman foundations. This has been a common practice throughout London's history, where newer buildings so often get built atop the remains of previous ones, gradually building up a new city from the old. Continuing north past the pedestrian overpass at the appropriately named London Wall Street are the remains of part of the Roman city wall, built sometime around 200 A.D. from more than a million blocks of stone hauled all the way from Kent in southwest England on an estimated 1,750 barges.

The wall stretched for almost 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) and stood 6 meters (20 feet) high and 2.4 (8 feet) thick at the base. The country had long since been pacified, and the Anglo-Saxon invasions wouldn't begin for another two centuries, so it seems the wall was built for propaganda purposes, or as a way of employing the urban mob, which had a bad habit of rioting when they weren't getting enough to eat. Only the foundations survive, the wall and postern tower above them date to the thirteenth century. If you continue north for another hundred yards through the grassy area you'll find another thirteenth century postern tower, also built on Roman foundations. In the springtime, yellow and red wildflowers bloom on its crumbling summit, making for a great photograph. Another stretch of the Roman wall can be seen just next to the Tower of London in the southeast corner of The City. While you are on London Wall Street, make sure to visit the Museum of London, which covers the city's entire history from the first Ice Age hunters to modern times.

Each period has recreated interiors such as a cramped Roman living room, complete with an uncomfortable-looking toilet, and an entire street of Victorian shops. The collection of Roman artifacts includes some fascinating tools, jewelry, cultic statues, and other everyday objects. From a large window near the Roman gallery you can look out at the medieval tower and wall built on Roman foundations. The most complete Roman building in the city is the second century Temple of Mithras, at the corner of Queen and Queen Victoria St. Workmen uncovered it during the rebuilding after the Blitz of World War Two and, since it was in the way of some new construction, reassembled it here. Mithras was the god of a late Roman mystery religion that originated in Persia. The original temple was underground and was the scene for religious banquets and rituals. Mithraism was so popular it became the main rival to early Christianity, but its secretive nature, and the fact that it only accepted men as members, meant it eventually lost out.

The entire floor plan can clearly be seen, with colonnaded side aisles where initiates could recline while sharing the sacred banquet, and an altar at the back which once had a statue of Mithras slaying a bull and thus bringing life to the world. Other remnants of Londinium are scattered throughout the City. At St. Bride's church on Fleet St., a visit to the crypt will reveal the foundations of a sixth century Saxon church and a portion of a Roman building with a decorated floor. While archaeologists are unsure what the Roman building was used for, local legend says St. Bride's is built on the site of a Celtic Christian community, perhaps the earliest in the British Isles. Beneath the Guildhall at Guildhall Yard is an even greater find, part of an amphitheatre built in 70 A.D. so gladiators could fight it out with wild animals (and each other) to the roaring of the crowd. These bloody spectacles must have been popular, because the amphitheatre was expanded in 200 A.D. to hold 6,000 people at a time when the population of Londinium numbered around 30,000.

While many Roman remains are in basements of later buildings, some of Londinium's features are in plain view. Watling St., for example, is an old Roman road that used to run from St. Albans all the way to Wroxeter via Westminster, the probable site of the first Roman fort in the area. You can still follow much of its route today. Other bits of Roman London are scattered throughout The City. On the porch of St. Magnus the Martyr church on Lower Thames St. is a beam from the Roman wharf found under Fish St., and construction often reveals Roman layers of occupation. Keep an eye on the newspapers when you're in town, because new finds are made every year, and the archaeologists often let visitors view the excavations. One of the strangest archaeological finds was in 1969 on the eastern edge of the old city wall, in an area called Houndsditch. Excavators found eight dog skeletons from a layer dating to the Roman period, an eerie testimony to the city's long memory for names. But as you make your tour of Roman London, spare a thought for the brave Celts who fought and died to protect their lands from the powerful empire.

Legend has it that far below platform seven of King's Cross Station lies the tomb of Boudicca, the female leader of the Iceni. This warrior queen waged started a rebellion the Romans in 60 A.D., laying waste to Verulamium (now St. Albans) and other outlying towns before marching on Londinium. She burned and looted the city but the Romans soon counterattacked. An epic battle ensued in which thousands died, supposedly near what the area that has throughout the city's history been called Battlebridge. The Romans prevailed and Boudicca, despairing, poisoned herself. While the rattle of the trains might disturb her sleep, she can rest with the satisfaction that she is more famous, and more admired by the British, than any of the Romans who ever lived on her stolen lands. Related Articles: Roman London 1914 The Romans (A43– 410) The Romans invaded England in AD 43. They landed in Kent, made their way to the River Thames and sailed up it. The Romans knew it was important to control a crossing point at the River Thames, so they decided to build a settlement on the north bank.

They chose a spot in two small hills and where the river became narrower. They built a bridge over the Thames, and there has been a ' London Bridge ' in the same area ever since. The Romans laid out buildings, streets and a port, and shortly afterwards they built a bridge. They called the settlement Londinium. Not everyone welcomed the new Settlers. In AD 61 the native Iceni tribe, led by Queen Boudicca, rose up against the Romans. They burnt Londinium to the ground and killed 30,000 Londoners. The Romans regained control and over the next 20 yeas rebuilt Londinium. By AD 100, the city was thriving again. At its peak the new Londinium city had a population of up to 60,000 people and for 300 years it was the largest city in Britannia (The Roman name for Britain). It had a fort (where the Barbican centre is now), a Forum/market, an amphitheatre (buried below the Guidhall) and Basilica/business centre. The Romans built a wall around the city to protect it from further invasion.

Blue line shows where the wall was The Romans ruled in Britain until AD 410, when thy left Britain and London. Evidence of Roman London today There is still evidence of Roman London. Parts of the Roman wall can still be seen. Remains of the Roman fort with nineteenth-century walls built atop it The wall enclosed an area of about 330 acres (130 ha) and had six gates. Moorgate, a medieval gate, was added later. According to ancient records the wall was three miles long, 18 feet tall, and had fifteen lofty towers (bastions). The river front side was two and a half miles long. Part of the Fort, a bastion added during medieval times It was built of Kentish Ragstone, brought by boat along the Medway and Thames, with bands of red tiles. Kentish ragstone Roman wall The wall passes through St. Alphagh Garden Remains of a bastion at the Barbican Estate, next to the church of St Giles-without-Cripplegate. The Anglo- Saxons who followed lived outside the walls in the Aldwych area but in the Medieval period people moved back and rebuilt the walls for defence.

From the 17th century as London grew the walls were incorporated into buildings or used to provide materials. The population of Roman London was between 12,000 and 20,000. In Roman times, the River Thames was 300 metres wide ( today it is 100 metres wide). You can see a statue of Boudicca by Westminster Bridge in London. Learn about England and the other countries in Britain from the children who live in ther A History of London A BRIEF HISTORY OF LONDON, ENGLAND By Tim Lambert Dedicated to Lucinda Wilde ROMAN LONDON The Romans founded London about 50 AD. Its name is derived from the Celtic word Londinios, which means the place of the bold one. After they invaded Britain in 43 AD the Romans built a bridge across the Thames. They later decided it was an excellent place to build a port. The water was deep enough for ocean going ships but it was far enough inland to be safe from Germanic raiders. Around 50 AD Roman merchants built a town by the bridge. So London was born.

The early settlement at London did not have stone walls but there may have been a ditch and an earth rampart with a wooden palisade on top. Then in 61 AD Queen Boudicca led a rebellion against the Romans. Her army marched on London. No attempt was made to defend London. Boudicca burned London but after her rebellion was crushed it was rebuilt. Rich people built houses of stone or brick with tiled roofs but most people lived in wooden houses. By the end of the 2nd century a stone wall was erected around London. The wall was 20 feet high. Outside the wall was a ditch. In the middle of the 3rd century 20 bastions were added to the walls (a bastion was a semi-circular tower projecting from the wall). The population of Roman London rose to perhaps 45,000, which seems small to us but it was the largest town in Britain. In the center of Roman London was the forum. This was a square with shops and public buildings arranged around it. The most important building in the forum was the basilica or 'town hall�, which was 500 feet long and 70 feet high.

In Roman London there were brick works, potteries and glass works. There were also donkey powered mills for grinding grain to flour and bakeries. Roman London was also an important port with wooden wharves and jetties. Grain and metal were exported and luxury goods were imported. (Things like wine, olive oil, glass, fine pottery, silk and ivory). Rich citizens had baths in their homes but there were several public baths near the city gates. (Romans went to the baths to socialize not just to keep clean). Most people in the town got their water from wells and used cess pools but there were underground drains to remove rainwater. Roman London also had an amphitheater, which could hold 8,000 people. Here gladiators fought to the death. Cockfighting was also a popular sport. Roman Britain SAXON LONDON The last Roman soldier left Britain in 407 AD. Afterwards, during the so-called Dark Ages London was probably abandoned. There may have been a few people living inside the walls by fishing or farming but London ceased to be a town. But soon it rose again. A new town appeared outside the walls on the site of Covent Garden.

It was much smaller than Roman London with perhaps 10,000 inhabitants. In 597 monks from Rome began the task of converting the Saxons to Christianity. In 604 a bishop was appointed for London. By the 640's there was a mint in London making silver coins. In the 670's a Royal document called London 'the place where the ships land'. Early in the 8th century a writer called London 'a trading center for many nations who visit by land and sea'. Saxon London consisted of many wooden huts with thatched roofs. Slag from metal forges have been found proving there were many blacksmiths at work in the town. Archaeologists have also found large numbers of loom weights (used in weaving wool) Saxon craftsmen also worked with animal bones making things like combs. The main export from Saxon London was wool, either raw of woven. Imports included wine and luxury foods like grapes and figs. Pottery and millstones were also imported. Slaves were also bought and sold in London. Disaster struck London in 842 when the Danes looted London.

They returned in 851 and this time they burned a large part of the town (an easy task when all buildings were of wood). Then the Danes gave up just raiding and turned to conquest. They conquered northern and Eastern England including London. King Alfred the Great totally defeated the Danes in 878 and they split the country between them. The Danes took eastern England including London while Alfred took the South and West. Despite the peace treaty Alfred's men took London in 886. Alfred repaired the walls of the old Roman town. Until then Londoners lived outside the Roman walls but during Alfred's reign they moved inside the walls for protection. Soon foreign merchants came to live in London. By the 10th century there were wine merchants from France at Vintners Place and German merchants at Dowgate. The Danes returned in 994 but this time the Londoners fought them off. A writer said ' they proceeded to attack the city stoutly and wished to set it on fire but here they suffered more harm and injury than they ever thought any citizen could do them'. 'London Bridge is falling down'...so says the nursery rhyme.

This is believed to be derived from an event that took place in the early 11th century. King Olaf of Norway attacked England but he was unable to sails up the Thames past London Bridge. So he ordered his men to erect wood and wicker canopies over their boats. They then approached London Bridge. Londoners on the bridge threw down missiles but they were unable to stop the Vikings. At that time London Bridge was made of wood. Olaf and his men tied ropes to the wooden struts supporting it. They then rowed away and London Bridge collapsed. Some historians question whether this event really happened or whether it was just a legend that grew up around King (later Saint) Olaf. Edward the Confessor (1042-1066) built a wooden palace at Westminster. Later Parliament met here. Because of this Westminster became the seat of government not the city of London itself. Edward also built Westminster Abbey, which was consecrated a few weeks before his death. LONDON IN THE MIDDLE AGES After the battle of Hastings an advance guard of Normans approached London Bridge from the South but were beaten off. The Norman army then marched in a loop to the west of London to cut it off from the rest of England.

William the Conqueror occupied the royal palace at Westminster and then won over the Londoners by making various promises. William was crowned king of England at Westminster on 25 December 1066. William gave London a charter, a document confirming certain rights. Nevertheless he built a wooden tower to stand guard over London. It was replaced by a stone tower in 1078-1100. That was the beginning of the Tower of London The population of London at this time was perhaps 18,000, which seems very small to us but was very large by the standards of the time. London grew in size through the 12th century and some people began to build housed outside the walls. In 1176 the wooden bridge across the Thames was replaced with a stone one. A writer described London about the year 1180: 'London is happy in its clean air, in the Christian religion, in the strength of its fortifications, in its natural situation, in the honor of its citizens. The Cathedral is St Pauls but there is also in London and its suburbs 13 large monasteries, beside 126 parish churches.

On the east side lies the tower, very large and strong with 4 gates and turrets at intervals and runs around the northern side of the city. To the north lie fields and meadows with small rivers flowing through them, by these water mills are driven with a pleasant murmur. To this city come merchants from every nation under heaven rejoicing to bring merchandise in their ships'. Someone else wrote about London: 'Among the noble and celebrated cities of the world, that of London, the Capital of the Kingdom of England is one of the most renowned, possessing above others, abundant wealth, extensive commerce, great grandeur and significance'. Medieval London was a lively place. There was a horse market at Smithfield (originally smooth field) where horse racing took place. Smithfield was also the site of public executions, which always attracted large crowds. Londoners also loved dancing on the open spaces that surrounded the town. They liked archery and wrestling and men fought mock battles with wooden swords and shields. In Winter people went ice skating on frozen marshes at Moorfield using skates made of animal bones. In the 12th or 13th century London was often spelled Lunden or Lundon.

By the time of Chaucer in the late 14th century it was spelled London. In the 13th century the friars came to London. Friars were like monks but instead of living lives separate from the world they went out to preach. There were different orders of friars each with a different color of their costume. Dominican friars were called black friars because of their black costumes and the place where they lived in London is still called Blackfriars. There were also grey friars (Franciscans), white friars (Carmelites) and crutched friars. The word crutched is a corruption of crouche, the old English word for cross. Their proper name was Friars of the Holy Cross. The Jews suffered from persecution during the Middle Ages. The first Jews came to England after the Norman Conquest. Jews in London lived in a ghetto in old Jewry. They were some of the first people since Roman times to live in stone houses. They had to as wooden houses were not safe enough! In 1189 a wave of persecution resulted in the deaths of about 30 Jews.

In 1264 rioters killed about 500 Jews in London. Then in 1290 all Jews were expelled from England. In Medieval London streets were sometimes named after the trades carried on there. Bakers lived in Bread Street and Poultry was sold in that street. Cows were kept in Milk Street for milking. In 1381 the Peasants Revolt broke out. On 13 July the rebels marched on London and sympathizers opened the gates to them. The king and his ministers took refuge in the Tower of London while the rebels opened the prisons and looted the house of John of Gaunt, an unpopular noble. On 14 July the king met the rebels at Moorfield and made them various promises, none of which he kept. The next day the king went to mass at Westminster while he was away the rebels broke into the Tower of London and killed the Archbishop of Canterbury and several royal officials who had taken refuge there. They confronted the king on his way back from mass. The mayor of London stabbed the leader of the rebels, fearing he was going to attack the king. Afterwards the king managed to calm the rebels and persuaded them to go home.

The population of London may have reached 50,000 by the middle of the 14th century making it far larger than any other town in England. However at least a third of the population died when the Black Death struck in 1348-49 but London soon recovered. Its population may have reached 70,000 by the end of the Middle Ages. The Tower of London LONDON IN THE 16th CENTURY AND 17th CENTURY The population of London may have reached 120,000 by the middle of the 16th century and about 250,000 by 1600. In the Middle Ages the church owned about 1/4 of the land in London. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries it released a great deal of land for new buildings. Banqueting House was built in 1622. In 1635 the king opened Hyde Park to the public. In 1637 Charles I created Richmond Park for hunting. Also in 1637 Queens House was completed in nearby Greenwich.

Wool was still the main export from London but there were also exports of 'Excellent saffron in small quantities, a great quantity of lead and tin, sheep and rabbit skins without number, with various other sorts of fine peltry (skins) and leather, beer, cheese and other sorts of provisions'. The Royal Exchange where merchants could buy and sell goods opened in 1571. In the early 17th century rich men continued to build houses west of London. The Earl of Bedford built houses at Covent Garden, on the Strand and at Long Acre. He also obtained permission to hold a fruit and vegetable market at Covent Garden. Other rich people build houses at Lincoln Inn Fields and at St Martins in the Fields. On the other side of London hovels were built. The village of Whitechapel was 'swallowed up' by the expanding city. The village of Clerkenwell also became a suburb of London. Southwark also grew rapidly. All this happened despite outbreaks of bubonic plague. It broke out in 1603, 1633 and 1665 but each time the population of London quickly recovered. Then in 1642 Civil War began between king and parliament.

The royalists made one attempt to capture London in 1643 but their army was met 6 miles west of St Pauls by a much larger parliamentary army. The royalists withdrew. However the Puritan government of 1646-1660 was hated by many ordinary people and when Charles II came to London from France in 1660 an estimated 20,000 people gathered in the streets to meet him. All the churches in London rang their bells. The last outbreak of plague in London was in 1665. But this was the last outbreak. In 1666 came the great fire of London. It began on 2 September in a baker's house. At first it did not cause undue alarm. But the wind caused the flames to spread rapidly. People formed chains with leather buckets and worked hand operated pumps all to no avail. The mayor was advised to use gunpowder to create fire breaks but he was reluctant, fearing the owners of destroyed buildings would sue for compensation. The fire continued to spread until the king took charge. He ordered sailors to make fire breaks. At the same time the wind dropped.

About 13,200 houses had been destroyed and 70-80,000 people had been made homeless. The king ordered the navy to make tents and canvas available from their stores to help the homeless who camped on open spaces around the city. Temporary markets were set up so the homeless could buy food. but the crowds of homeless soon dispersed. Most of the houses in London were still standing and many of the homeless found accommodation in them or in nearby villages. Others built wooden huts on the charred ruins. To prevent such a disaster happening again the king commanded that all new houses in London should be of stone and brick not wood. Citizens were responsible for rebuilding their own houses but a tax was charged on coal brought by ship into London to finance the rebuilding of churches and other public buildings. Work began on rebuilding St Pauls in 1675 but it was not finished till 1711. In the late 17th century fashionable houses were built at Bloomsbury and on the road to the village of Knightsbridge. Elegant houses in squares and broad straight streets were also built north of St James palace. Soho also became built up.

As well as building attractive suburbs the rich began to live in attractive villages near London such as Hackney, Clapham, Camberwell and Streatham. In the east the poor continued to build houses and Bethnal Green was 'swallowed up' by the growing city. French Protestants fleeing religious persecution arrived in London. Many of them were silk weavers who lived in Spitalfields which also became a suburb of London. In the 17th century wealthy Londoners obtained piped water for the first time. It was brought by canal from the countryside then was carried by hollow tree trunks under the streets. You had to pay to have your house connected. After 1685 oil lamps lighted the streets. Hackney carriages became common in the streets of London. In 1694 the Bank of England was formed. It moved to Threadneedle Street in 1734. Billingsgate was a general market until 1699 when an Act of Parliament made it a fish market.

LONDON IN THE 18th CENTURY The population of London rose from about 600,000 in 1700 to 950,000 in 1800. The fashionable suburbs spread north along Tottenham Court Road and north west to the village of Paddington. By 1800 growth had spread to Islington and Chelsea. In the east growth spread to Stepney, Ratcliffe, Limehouse and Wapping. In the south the city spread to Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Walworth and Kennington. Several hospitals were founded in London in the 18th century including Westminster (1720), Guys (1724), St Georges (1733), London (1740) and Middlesex (1745). Early in the 18th century London was severely affected by gin drinking. Gin was cheap and for the poor it offered a chance to forget their poverty. In the 1740's it was estimated that 1 house in 8 sold gin over the counter. In 1751 gin drinking was curtailed when duty was charged on the drink.

Many new buildings were erected in Georgian London. Buckingham Palace was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. It was altered in the 19th century by John Nash (1752-1835) and the first monarch to live there was Queen Victoria in 1837. Marlborough House was built in 1711. The British Museum was founded in 1753. Also in 1753 Mansion House was built as a residence for the Lord Mayor of London. In 1757 the houses on London Bridge were demolished. In 1761 an Act of Parliament set up a body of men called Board of Commissioners power to pave and clean the streets of London. The walls of the city were demolished between 1760 and 1766 and new bridges were built Westminster in 1749 and Blackfriars in 1770. Somerset House was built between 1776 and 1786 by Sir William Chambers (1724-1796).

On the South Bank were industries like leather tanning (in Bermondsey) and timber yards (in Lambeth). There were also many craftsmen in London who made luxury goods. Silk weavers in Spitalfields, watchmakers in Clerkenwell, coach makers and furniture makers in Long Acre. There were also makers of surgical and navigational instruments and jewelers. London was also the largest port in the country. By 1700 she was handling 80% of England�s imports and 69% of her exports. There was also a large shipbuilding industry in London. London was also a huge market for the rest of the country's produce. In 1720 someone wrote that people all over England were employed to 'furnish something and I may add the best of everything to supply the city of London with provisions. I mean by provisions, grain, meat, fish, butter, cheese, salt , fuel, timber and cloth, also everything necessary for building'. Life in the 18th Century LONDON IN THE 19th CENTURY The population of London grew from 950,000 in 1800 to 6 million in 1900.

At the beginning of the 19th century rich men built estates at Somerstown, Camden Town, Walworth, Agar Town, Bromley and Pentonville. Growth also spread to Battersea, Clapham, Camberwell, Brixton, Bayswater and Peckham. By 1850 Deptford was part of London. Growth also spread to Fulham and Kensington. As late as 1839 Shepherds Bush was called a 'pleasant village' but it was soon swallowed up. In the east Hackney, Poplar and Cubbitts Town were built up by 1850. Later in the century growth spread to East and West Ham. After 1850 growth spread to Acton, Chiswick, Brentford, Richmond, Twickenham and Ealing. In the North it reached Willesden and Hampstead. Growth also spread to Hornsey and Tottenham. In the South it spread to Putney, Wimbledon, Streatham, Dulwich, Catford, Lewisham and to Greenwich and Charlton. After 1850 Chinese immigrants started settling in Limehouse. There were also many Irish immigrants in the Docklands.

By 1850 London had 20,000 Jews. Their numbers doubled in the 1880's when many refugees arrived from Russia and Eastern Europe. Part of the reason for the growth of London was the railway, which made it possible for people to live away from the city center and travel to work each day. Euston Station was built in 1837 by Philip Hardwick (1792-1870). Kings Cross Station was built in 1852 by Lewis Cubitt (1799-1883). St Pancras was built in 1868 by Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878). However there were epidemics of cholera in London in 1831, 1848-49 and finally in 1866. In 1859 work began on building a system of sewers for the whole city but it was not complete till 1875. After that deaths from disease fell drastically.

In 1807 gas light was used for the first time at Pall Mall and by the 1840's was being used all over London. Electric light was first used in Holborn in 1883. By the 1840's there were horse drawn buses and from the 1870's horse drawn trams. The first underground railway opened in 1863. At first carriages were pulled by steam trains. The system was electrified in 1890-1905. Meanwhile the Thames Tunnel was built in 1843. In 1834 Parliament was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt to a design by Charles Barry. The new parliament included a great clock, which is now known as Big Ben. Originally only the bell which struck the hour was called Big Ben (It was probably named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the Commissioner of Works) but in time people began to call the whole clock tower Big Ben. John Nash created Trafalgar Square in 1839 and Nelsons column was erected in 1842. Furthermore many parks were created in London in the 19th century.

Regents Park opened to the public in 1838. Victoria Park opened in 1845. Battersea Park opened in 1858. Another great London landmark the Albert Hall was built in 1871 by Francis Fowke (1823-1865). New museums were created in Victorian London. The Victoria and Albert Museum opened in 1852. The Science Museum opened in 1857 and the Natural History Museum opened in 1881. New Scotland Yard was built in 1891 and the statue of Eros in Picadilly Square was erected in 1892. Meanwhile London continued to be a great port. In the 18th century ships tied up at wharves on the Thames but the river became overcrowded so docks were built.

West India Dock (1802), London Dock (1805), East India Dock (1806) St Katherines Dock (1828), Victoria Dock (1855), Milwall Dock (1868) South West India Dock (1870), Albert Dock (1880) and Tilbury Docks (1886). In the 19th century London was also a great manufacturing center. Food and drink were important industries. There were flour mills and sauce factories in Lambeth and sugar refineries in Whitehall and St Georges in the East. The first tinned foods were made in Bermondsey. There were also breweries all over London. Bermondsey and Southwark were famous for their leather industry and for hat making. Bethnal Green was noted for boot and shoe making. The clothing trade was also important. Chemicals were made in Silvertown and West Ham. Clocks and watches and jewelery were made in Clerkenwell. There were shipyards in Poplar, Deptford, Milwall and Blackwall. Other industries in London included furniture making, machine and tool making and the manufacture of horse drawn carriages.

LONDON IN THE 20th CENTURY In the early 20th century London continued to grow rapidly. Hendon and Finchley became built up. Growth also spread to Harrow and Wealdstone, Twickenham, Teddington and Kingston Upon Thames. Wimbledon and Surbiton also became suburbs of London. Furthermore in the early 20th century London County Council began to build estates of council houses on the edge of the city. In 1903 the first ones were built at Tooting. Later estates were built at Norbury, Tottenham, Roehampton, at Downham near Catford and at Becontree. Other estates were built at Watling and Morden. Despite these new council house estates 75% of houses built in London between 1919 and 1939 were private. The population of London rose from 6 million in 1900 to 8.7 million in 1939. Westminster Cathedral was built in 1903. The Victoria and Albert Museum moved to its present home in 1909. The Geological Museum opened in 1935.

White City Stadium was built in 1908. Wembley Stadium was built in 1923 and Gunnersbury Park opened in 1925. Chiswick Bridge was built in 1933. In the early 20th century the old London industries (brewing, Sugar refining, flour milling, engineering) continued by new industries grew in the suburbs such as aircraft building, vehicle manufacturing and making electrical goods. London suffered badly during the Second World War. When the Blitz began in September 1940 Londoners started sleeping in the underground stations and soon 150,000 people were sleeping there overnight. In the blitz about 20,000 people were killed and 25,000 were injured. The first blitz ended in May 1941 but in 1944 Germany began firing missiles at London and killed about 3,000 people. In 1944 a plan for post war London was published. The authorities felt the city was overcrowded and they planned to create a ring of satellite towns 20-30 miles from London. But the new towns attracted the skilled workers away from London.

The new towns had modern industries who wanted skilled workers. The unskilled and the old were left behind. As well as building new towns the council began building flats in London. The first were built in 1948. At first they were low rise but from 1964 high rise flats, up to 24 storeys high, were built to replace slums. Unfortunately rehousing slum tenants in high rise flats broke up communities. Then in 1968 came the Ronan Point disaster when a gas explosion partly destroyed a block of flats killing 4 people. After that the policy of demolishing slums changed and owners were given grants to modernize their houses. Waterloo Bridge was built in 1945. The Royal Festival Hall was built in 1951. Pollocks Toy Museum opened in 1956. The Shell Centre was built in 1962. Millbank Tower was built in 1963. One of London�s famous landmarks the Post Office Tower opened to the public in 1966. Haywards Gallery opened in 1968. The Museum of London opened in 1976.

A Museum of Garden History opened in 1979. The London Transport Museum opened in 1980. The Museum of the Moving Image opened in 1988. Somerset House opened to the public in 2000. It includes the Courtauld Gallery and the Gilbert Collection. In the 1950's London boomed. Car factories were very busy. So were the aircraft factories in north London. The docks were also very busy, employing 30,000 men. But in the 1960's the docks began to suffer from the break up of the British Empire. The newly independent countries began to trade with countries other than Britain and London docks suffered as a result. Worse in 1973 Britain joined the EEC. Imports from commonwealth countries were limited by quotas or had to pay tariffs. This hurt London docks as most of their trade came from the Commonwealth. Imports from the EEC tended to go to ports like Felixstowe and Dover. The London Docks Authority tried to cut costs by shifting to a containerized dock at Tilbury but many of the old docks were forced to close.

The old industries associated with them such as sugar refining and food processing suffered as well. In the early 1970's when London was still prospering the government tried to reduce congestion by encouraging companies to move out to the provinces. Then in the mid 70s came a recession and companies looked for ways to cut costs. One way was to leave London with its high rents and high labor costs. Engineering and electrical companies now left the capital in droves and unemployment soared. After 1976 the GLC vigorously opposed the policy of encouraging industry to leave London. Central government did a u-turn. In 1981 the Greater London Enterprise Council was set up to encourage investment in London. But unemployment remained high in the 1980s and 1990s. One industry did boom however - tourism, with several million foreign visitors arriving each year. In the 1950's West Indian immigrants started to arrive in London and by 1955 20,000 were arriving each year. They met with prejudice and hostility, which culminated in the race riots at Notting Hill in 1958. In the early 1960s Asians arrived as well.

Many of them took over corner shops. Both Chinese and Indians opened restaurants. Central London Mosque was built in 1977. Despite immigration the population of London fell after 1945. However in the last years of the 20th century the population began to grow rapidly again. LONDON IN THE 21st CENTURY At the beginning of the 21st Century London continued to grow rapidly. The Greater London Authority was created in 2000. The same year the Tate Modern opened in a former power station. Furthermore the London Eye opened to the public in 2000. In 2012 a new building was opened in London called the Shard. Also in 2012 the Olympics will be held in London, confirming its status as one of the world's greatest cities. Today the population of London is 8.1 million. Ancient Rome for Kids: England (Britannia) We often think of the Roman Empire as ruling Italy and the areas around the Mediterranean Sea. However, for nearly 400 years, Rome also ruled much of Britain . They called the land Britannia.

Caesar Invades Britain It was Julius Caesar who first invaded Britain in 55 BC. He led two Roman legions across the waters and landed on the coast of Kent. This first invasion wasn't very successful. Caesar returned to France before the winter. A year later, in 54 BC, Caesar returned to Britain with a larger force of five Roman legions. He was much more successful this time, invading well into Britain and even crossing the River Thames. He left peacefully after the tribes of Britain agreed to pay tribute to Rome. The Romans Conquer Britain About 90 years later, in 43 AD, Emperor Claudius decided he needed to conquer a new land and make a name for himself. He decided to conquer Britain. Under the leadership of General Plautius, four Roman legions invaded Britain. Conquering Britain wasn't a simple task, though. It took around 30 years for Rome to gain control of the southern part of the island. Hadrian's Wall In 122 AD the Roman Emperor Hadrian had a wall built across the middle of England. This wall created a fortified border between northern and southern Britain. The wall was 73 miles long.

It varied in size from 10 to 20 feet wide and 10 to 20 feet tall. It is estimated that more than 10,000 troops manned the wall at some point. The wall helped to keep out the northern barbarians and also served as a point for taxation on imports and exports. Portions of Hadrian's Wall still stand today Photo by Velella at Wikimedia Commons The End of Roman Rule The Romans ruled Britain for nearly 400 years from 43 AD to 410 AD. They left Britain to defend their homeland in Italy which was being threatened by barbarians such as the Goths and the Vandals. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476 AD. Lasting Culture The Roman legions may have returned home to Italy, but they left a lasting legacy on the culture of Britain. Roman construction such as aqueducts, roads, and concrete had a lasting impact on the people of Britain. Other aspects of Roman culture that remained in England included the Julian calendar, Roman laws and government, and many words from the Latin language. The City of London The Romans also established the city of Londinium around 50 AD, which later became London.

The Romans built a network of roads throughout England many of which went through Londinium making the city an important trade center. The Romans built many major structures in Londinium including temples, bathhouses, a basilica for meetings, and a governor's palace. Around 200 AD, they built a defensive wall around the city called London Wall. The wall was around three miles long, 20 feet high, and 8 feet wide. Interesting Facts about the Roman Empire in England The Romans also built another wall across Scotland north of Hadrian's Wall called the Antonine Wall. The first Roman city in Britain was Camulodunum. Today it is the town of Colchester. Many current cities in England were established by the Romans including London, York, Northwich, Dover, Bath, and Canterbury. Celtic priests called druids were outlawed by the Emperor Claudius. They were nearly wiped out by the Romans. In 60 AD a British tribal Queen named Boudicca started a revolt that included burning down much of Londinium. Take a ten question quiz about this page. For more about Ancient Rome: Overview and History

Question: What word did the Romans have for the City of London?
Answer: Londinium