London Before the Conquest

"Now would I fain In wordys playn, Some honoure sayen, And bring to mynde Of that auncient cytie That so goodly is to se." --Fabyan.

LONDON MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY MCMII

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"_Lundres est mult riche cite, Meliur n'ad en Cristienté Pur vaillance, ni melx assisé, Melx gaurnie, de grant prisee; Al pe del mur li curt Tamise Pur li vent la marchandise Des tutes les qui sunt U marcheans Crestiens vient." Roman de Tristan._

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER I ORIGINS--THE LEGEND OF LONDON--THE BRITISH CHURCH--THE ENGLISH COME TO LONDON--ALFRED'S LONDON 6

CHAPTER II RIVERS AND FORDS 38

CHAPTER III ROADS AND THE BRIDGE 52

CHAPTER IV THE WALLS, GATES, AND QUAYS 74

CHAPTER V THE CITADEL--SOUTHWARK--THE DANES' QUARTER--THE PORTLANDS AND CNIHTENGILD 101

CHAPTER VI THE WARDS AND PARISHES--THE PALACE 126

CHAPTER VII STREETS--CRAFT GILDS AND SCHOOLS--CHURCHES 145

CHAPTER VIII THE GUILDHALL--LONDON STONE--TOWN BELL AND FOLKMOTE 175

CHAPTER IX THE GOVERNMENT OF EARLY LONDON 187

CHAPTER X LONDINIUM 198

APPENDIX ON MATERIALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MAPS OF EARLY LONDON 212

NOTES ON FIGURES

London and the Thames, from Speed's Map, 1610 Frontispiece

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FIG. 1.--Goddess of Hope. (Roman bronze found in London). Restored from Roach Smith's Collectanea. About two-thirds full size 4

FIG. 2.--Stone Weapons, from the Thames at Westminster. From the Roach Smith Collection 7

FIG. 3.--Centre of Celtic Bronze Shield, from the Thames at Wandsworth. Now in the British Museum 8

FIG. 4.--Celtic Bronze Swords 9

FIG. 5.--Coin of Cunobeline. Enlarged 10

FIG. 6.--Bronze Lamp, Roman, found in London 11

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 BRITANN; the second an altar to Peace, inscribed BEAT TRANQLITAS 18

FIG. 8.--Christian Monogram from Cakes of Pewter found at Battersea. Now in the British Museum. One, in addition to the [Greek: CHR], has the words SPES IN DEO; the other [Greek: A·Ô·] 21

FIG. 9.--Bronze Bracelet found in London; ornamented with a Cross. Now in the British Museum 23

FIG. 10.--Head of a Pin found in London. Now in the British Museum. A little less than full size. The subject seems to represent Constantine's vision of the Cross 24

FIG. 11.--Enamelled Plate of Bronze, about half size of original, found in London. Now in the British Museum. From Roach Smith's collection 25

FIG. 12.--Cross from Mosaic Pavement found in London. Now in the British Museum. It forms the centre of a geometrical pattern 27

FIG. 13.--Saxon Spear found in London, and now in the British Museum 29

FIG. 14.--Coin of Halfdan, with Monogram of London. From a unique example in the British Museum. It seems to have been coined on the taking of London by the Dane leader in 872 35

FIG. 15.--Saxon Swordhilt, of pierced bronze. Now in the British Museum. Found in London 36

FIG. 16.--Earliest printed view of London, from the Cronycle of Englonde, Pynson, 1510 39

FIG. 17.--London and the Roman Roads: The Watling Street through Greenwich and Edgware; the Erming Street through Merton and Edmonton, called also the Stone Street south of London; the Here Street through Brentford and Stratford 53