Fortifications of London

Fortifications of London

The fortifications of London are extensive and mostly well maintained, though many of Inner London's fortifications and defences were dismantled in the 17th and 18th century. Many of those that remain are tourist attractions, most notably the Tower of London.

History

London's first defensive wall was built by the Romans around 200 AD, 150 years after the city was founded as Londinium. There were seven main entrances through the wall into the City, five built by the Romans at different times in their occupation of London. They were the City Gates.

These 'gates' that once guarded the entrances to the City of London through the City Wall were multi-storey buildings that had one or two archways through the middle for traffic, protected by gates and portcullises. They were often used as prisons, or used to display executed criminals to passers-by. Beheaded traitors often had their head stuck on a spike on London Bridge, then their body quartered and spread among the gates.

After the curfew, rung by the bells of St Mary le Bow and other churches at nine o'clock, or dusk, (whichever came earlier) the gates were shut. They reopened at sunrise, or six o'clock the next morning, whichever came later. Entry was forbidden during these times, and citizens inside the gates were required to remain in their homes. The gates were also used as checkpoints, to check people entering the City, and to collect any tolls that were being charged for the upkeep of the wall, or any other purpose that might require money. It is possible that the wall was built for the sole purpose of collecting taxes, and not for defence at all.

The gates were repaired and rebuilt many times. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 all of the City gates were unhinged and had their portcullises wedged open, rendering them defenceless, but they were retained a visible sign of the prestige of the City. Most of the gates were demolished around 1760 due to traffic congestion.

Gates

The positions of all the gates are now marked by a main road with the same name, except for Cripplegate, which is a tiny street somewhat north of the position of the gate. The gates were:

*Aldgate
*Aldersgate
*Bishopsgate
*Cripplegate
*Ludgate
*Moorgate
*Newgate

List of fortifications

*London Wall
*Tower of London
*Montfichet's Castle
*Baynard's Castle

19th century

*London Defence Positions

World War II and later

*Outer London Defence Ring
*GHQ Line
*Cabinet War Rooms
*Military citadels under London
*Kingsway telephone exchange
*London deep-level shelters

References

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2430235 BBC - h2g2]
* [http://www.molg.org.uk/ English Museum of London Group]

ee also

*London
*History of London
*List of fortifications
*British hardened field defences of World War II


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • London Wall — This article is part of the series on: Military of ancient Rome (portal) 753 BC – AD 476 Structural history Roman army (unit types and ranks …   Wikipedia

  • London Defence Positions — The London Defence Positions were 19th century earthworks in the south east of England, designed to protect London from foreign invasion landing on the south coast. The 1859 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom report on Britain… …   Wikipedia

  • London —     London     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► London     London, the capital of England and chief city of the British Empire, is situated about fifty miles from the mouth of the Thames, Lat. 51°30 , Long. 0°5 . The word London is used in widely… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Fortifications britanniques de campagne de la Seconde Guerre mondiale — Casemate hexagonale (type 22) Les fortifications défensives britanniques de la Seconde Guerre mondiale étaient de petites constructions fortifiées construites dans le cadre de la préparation à l invasion allemande. Elles ont été populairement… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • London, Tower of — ▪ tower, London, United Kingdom byname  the Tower    royal fortress and London landmark. Its buildings and grounds served historically as a royal palace, a political prison, a place of execution, an arsenal, a royal mint, a menagerie, and a… …   Universalium

  • London — This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. For other uses, see London (disambiguation). London From upper left: City of London, Tower Bridge and London Eye, Palace of Westminster …   Wikipedia

  • London — /lun deuhn/, n. 1. Jack, 1876 1916, U.S. short story writer and novelist. 2. a metropolis in SE England, on the Thames: capital of the United Kingdom. 3. City of, an old city in the central part of the former county of London: the ancient nucleus …   Universalium

  • London Plan — For other uses, see London Plan (disambiguation). The geographical scope of the plan is the London region. The London Plan is a planning document written by the Mayor of London, England in the United Kingdom and published by the Greater London… …   Wikipedia

  • Wall of London —    Considerable difference of opinion exists as to the date when the walls that encircled the ancient City of London were first erected, and no evidence is obtainable from the Anglo Saxon Chronicle or other early records.    There is no doubt… …   Dictionary of London

  • Tower of London —    Situated at the eastern extremity of the City of London on the north bank of the Thames on Tower Hill (S. 45, and Bayley, ed. 1821, I. p. 1), on the confines of Middlesex and Essex, 1315 (Cal. P.R. 1313 17, p.314).    The most celebrated… …   Dictionary of London

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”