Londinium, Architecture and the CraftsLethaby, W. R. (William Richard)
History
Londinium, Architecture and the Crafts
Lethaby, W. R. (William Richard)
England -- Antiquities, Roman; London (England) -- Antiquities, Roman; Romans -- England -- London
The primitive road in Kent as far as Greenwich was on high ground, but
beyond was the wide river valley. By bending to the left on the edge of
higher ground, through Camberwell where Roman objects have been found,
the river might be more nearly approached opposite Westminster, and
there was solid land on the opposite bank also. Beyond, at Park Lane,
the higher firm ground pushed down towards Westminster, between two
little streams—the road here, indeed, was a low ridgeway. All evidence
suggests that a British road to Verulam passed the Thames at
Westminster. In Allen’s _Lambeth_, it is said that three “Celts” were
found in digging the foundations of Westminster Bridge. Now, in
Fairholt’s _Albums of Sketches_, at South Kensington, are drawings of
three bronze weapons thus described: “Swords and spear found August
1847, under Westminster Bridge by a ballast heaver.” The swords (Fig.
174) were 28½ in. and 23½ in. long, the spear-head or dagger was 16½ in.
long. Other pieces of British bronze work have been found in the river
in the neighbourhood of the Westminster crossing. Westminster Bridge
itself still carries on the tradition by crossing the river at this
point, and it is interesting to find recorded that the building of the
bridge in the line of the Horse-ferry was the first intention. The
importance of the Horse-ferry about 1700 is shown by the list of charges
given in Hatton’s _New View_ (1708).
[Illustration:
FIG. 174.
]
My general results in regard to the British and Roman road systems may
be summarised thus:
1. A primitive trackway along the North Downs near the south bank of the
river.
2. An ancient river-crossing by a ford at Westminster and thence
north-west through Britain.
3. The growth of Verulam on this road, and the rise of London as a port
in connection with it.
4. A direct London-Verulam road made over Islington—a ridgeway.
5. Hardly two or three persons possessing a boat could have been settled
on the site of London before a direct path across Southwark would be
taken to reach the Kentish road; thus the route marked by London Bridge
must be of pre-Roman origin.
6. Other ways were thrown out; along the Strand to the Westminster
crossing; along the comparatively high ground of Piccadilly to the west,
and by Old Street and Old Ford to the east.
7. The British road system was rectified by Roman engineers. The chief
route was now over London Bridge; the Roman road along Oxford Street was
made in connection with the enlarged Londinium issuing from it at
Newgate; it was continued to Brentford, where it met the older road by
Piccadilly; the old track from Westminster to Verulam was improved only
from this new road, and the link across the river became of secondary
importance; Mile End Road superseded the route by Old Ford. There were
thus older and newer roads—British ways following the higher and harder
ground; and Roman roads laid down in straight lines.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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