London Before the Conquest

"London was built on the first spot going up the river where any considerable tract of dry land touches the stream. It is a tract of good gravel, well supplied with water, not l...

Like as the Mother of the gods, they say, Old Cybele, aray'd with pompous pride, Wearing a diademe embattild wide With hundred turrets, like a turribant: With such an one was Th...

_Streets._--As has been said, a large number, probably most, of the streets of London as they existed before the fire can be traced in records back to the thirteenth century. It...

_The Citadel._--The Saxon Chronicle under the year 886 reads: "In this year _gesette_ Alfred _Lundenburh_ and gave the _burh_ to Æthered the ealdorman to hold." This is usually...

_Walls._--The walls and gates of London are frequently mentioned incidentally by the chroniclers of the Saxon period. In the charter given by William the Conqueror to St. Martin...

Upon thy lusty brigge of pylers white Been merchauntis full royall to behold: Upon thy stretis goeth many a semely Knyght Arrayit in velvet gownes and cheynes of gold. WILLIAM D...

So Hawk fared west to England to see King Athelstane, and found the king in London, and thereat was there a bidding and a feast full worthy. So they went into the hall thirty me...

The city of London, when the Roman garrison was withdrawn from its walls, occupied two hills on the north river-bank, between which ran the Walbrook. The river, which still reta...

The Guildhall is frequently spoken of in the thirteenth century; for instance, the Assise of Buildings of 1212 was given from "Gilde Hall." Mr. Price, its historian, shows that...

_The Kings Peace._--When Alfred took over London it must have been in the main a decayed Roman city. In giving the great burh into the hands of the Mercian Ealdorman, Ethered, h...

FIG. 7.--Coin of Claudius and another of Constantius, the latter inscribed London (P. LON). Enlarged. The first shows an equestrian statue over a triumphal arch lettered DE BRIT...