And so to
work, beginning, as any self respecting Sim City builder would do, by building
a bridge.
Today's
London Bridge is, in my opinion, the most disappointing of all the bridges that
span the Thames. Chauffeuring around many tourists as we sight-see our way
across this great city I'm yet to meet anyone who isn't underwhelmed by London
Bridge, admittedly there are a lot who believe Tower Bridge to be London Bridge
but, that explained, not one person has extolled the simple concrete structure
to be anything more than that, a simple concrete structure.
The best fact
I know about the current pontoon is that it is hollow and the warm air from the
Tube is pushed through meaning that while all other bridges will freeze over in
a snow storm, London Bridge won't. Hmm.
This hasn't
always been the case though. London Bridge has a proud and magnificent history
with the area carrying many great spans over the centuries. My favourite was a
time when the bridge, carried not just people and traffic, but houses, shops
and even a two storey church, a la Pontevecchio, in Florence.
To get a
glimpse into that time I head to the north side of the Thames, St Magnus the
Martyr Church to see a 4 metre model depicting the Bridge as it would have
appeared in around the 1400. It is an amazing peice of work and the detail of
around 900 people crowding the bridge shows King Henry V riding in from
Southwark with the Mayor of London waiting to greet him. There's even a
deliberate planting of a 20th century character which I didn't find (apparently
it is a policeman)
The
claustrophobic hustle and bustle show London as crowded then as now and why the
congestion on the Bridge forced a decision that if crossing from North to South
then you stayed to the left, as you did if coming from Southwark to
the City of London. We still to this day drive on the left or 'correct' side of
the road.
The small
exhibition also has pictures and facts about the Bridge history, like the last
transition saw an American businessman relocate, stone by stone, the outgoing
bridge to give a focal point to his new housing development in Lake Havasu,
Arizona. My favourite picture is the one of two, new and old, Bridges along
side each other.
London Bridge
has, of all the Bridges, the greatest history. It is where the decapitated
heads of 'traitors' where gruesomely mounted on a spike to deter any of the
like-minded. Where Watt Tyler crossed with his revolting peasants, though he
had to wait until the bridge opened as it used to closed at 9pm.
The
exhibition is small, free (donations excepted) and walking distance from the
Tower of London.
