Page 24 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

22  INTRODUCING L ONDON

Medieval London

The historic division between London’s centres of commerce
(the City) and government (Westminster) started in the
mid-11th century when Edward the Confessor established his
court and sited his abbey (see pp80–83) at Westminster. Mean-
while, in the City, tradesmen set up their own institutions and
guilds, and London appointed its first mayor. Disease was rife
and the population never rose much above its Roman peak of Extent of the City
50,000. The Black Death (1348) reduced the population by half. 1200 Today
London Bridge Houses and shops The Chapel of
The first stone bridge was projected over both sides St Thomas,
built in 1209 and lasted of the bridge. Shopkeepers erected the year
600 years. It was the made their own merchan- the bridge was
only bridge across the dise on the premises and completed,
Thames in London until lived above their shops. was one of its
Westminster Bridge (1750). Apprentices did the selling. first buildings.

Iron
St Thomas à Becket railings
As Archbishop of
Canterbury he was
murdered in 1170,
at the prompting
of Henry II, with
whom he was
quarrelling. Thomas
was made a saint
and pilgrims visited
his Canterbury shrine.

The piers were
made from wooden
stakes rammed into
the riverbed and
filled with rubble.

Stag Hunting
Dick Whittington Such sports were the The arches ranged
The 15th-century trader was chief recreation of from 4.5 m (15 ft) to
thrice mayor of London. wealthy landowners. 10 m (35 ft) in width.

1042 Edward 1191 Henry
the Confessor 1086 Domesday Fitzalwin becomes
becomes king Book, England’s first London’s first
survey, published mayor
1050 1100 1150 1200 1250
1066 William I 1176 Work starts 1215 King 1240 First
crowned in Abbey parliament sits
on the first stone John’s Magna at Westminster
1065 Westminster Abbey London Bridge Carta gives City
completed more powers

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