“So rich is London in legend and tradition, that even some of the spots
that now appear the blankest, baldest, and most uninteresting, are really
vaults of entombed anecdotes and treasure houses of old stories”
Dr. Samuel Johnson
If, like Dr. Johnson, you enjoy anecdotes and secret
histories, make sure you take the opportunity to explore this unique insight
into London’s
streets and alleyways – from the City fringes to the East-End.
Before the Romans arrived some 2000 years ago there is no
evidence of London
existing as any sort of thriving town or village. When the Romans arrived they
quickly chose the London area as the HQ for all
activities in their new island colony perhaps because the area between present
day Cannon Street Station and the Tower
of London, on the north
bank of the River Thames made an ideal port and with quick access to high
ground. An ideal place to make a settlement. In addition, at this point two
smaller rivers join the Thames from the north
providing easy access to extra clean drinking water and additional defence from
attackers.
These two rivers are now no longer to be seen but can easily
be located. The first is The Walbrook. The mouth of the Walbrook is now under Cannon Street
railway station and its passage from the north follows Walbrook Street which connects Cannon Street
station with the Mansion House and the Bank of England almost due north.
The original Roman settlement stretched from The Walbrook
River (Cannon Street Station) in the west to the Tower of London
(which did not exist) in the east. The second river is the Fleet just over a
quarter of a mile west of the Walbrook which is a much larger river and flows
north south under present day Ludgate circus and Farringdon street. Roman
London eventually stretched from the Tower (built 1000 years later) in the east
to the Fleet River in the west. London Wall was the
northern boundary and over a bridge (on the site of present day London Bridge)
to present day Southwark described the city limits in the south. Hence the area
north of the Thames was approximately ½ mile
north south and just over a mile east west.
Walking west from present day St Paul's Cathedral the road drops away
steeply to Ludgate Circus and it is easy to imagine a large river in front of
you before the bank rises steeply on the other side to a road now called Fleet Street.
Indeed the river is still flowing but in a tunnel under the street.
What the Romans chose was a site adjacent to a river, which
would be perfect for trading, and with two smaller rivers supplying clean drinking
water. The perfect site for their proposed new town
; Londinium.
I do not propose to take you on a journey through the
complete history of London.
What I am pointing out here is the history of what most people think of today
as ordinary London streets, if there could be
such a thing, for in my opinion there are no ‘ordinary’ streets in London; every one is an
individual, each with its own stories and its own history.
