Old London Bridge

2026 is the 850th anniversary of the start of the construction of Old London Bridge. The construction was instigated by Peter of Colechurch in 1176 but it was not completed until 1209, which was after Peter had died.

So how does this connect to Middleton’s history? Peter was described as the bridge master and a clergyman at St Mary’s Colechurch. Following the murder of Thomas à Becket in 1170, Robert III de Marmion, 2nd Baron Marmion of Tamworth, who owned Middleton between 1143 and 1181, was noted as having had such an interest in Thomas that he purchased the land, lordship and overlordship of the area of London that contained the house where Thomas had been born. St Marys Colechurch was located in this area. This land remained in the possession of Robert’s descendants for a number of generations. Subsequently the Fraternity and then the Knights of St Thomas made their headquarters on the site of Thomas' birthplace. Today, what was Thomas’ birthplace is where the properties of 85-86 Cheapside front the street but Robert’s land covered a wider area around this. Hence, Peter was a clergyman on Robert's land, but the connection goes further due to the purpose of the bridge.

Although there had been a crossing of the Thames to Southwark before 1176, this had been a timber bridge, which was frequently destroyed in either storms or fire. Following the death of Thomas, pilgrimage to his birthplace had resulted in a lot more people visiting the area and a better bridge was deemed to be required. King Henry II then commissioned the new bridge, which was also viewed as an act of penitence by the King. The association of the new bridge and the honouring of Thomas à Becket was undeniable because, at the centre of the new bridge, the Chapel of St Thomas on the Bridge was established and this became the official start of the pilgrimage to the shrine of St Thomas at Canterbury. This Chapel was said to have been grander than many churches and even had an additional river-level entrance for fishermen and ferrymen.

The bridge that Peter built was made of durable stone, specifically Kentish ragstone, Purbeck stone from Dorset and Reigate stone from Surrey. For centuries, it was the only stone crossing over the Thames. It was built on timber piles that were driven into the riverbed, which were enclosed in rubble. The new bridge had 19 broad-pointed arches, which ranged from 14 feet to 32 feet in width. Furthermore, at 926 feet in length and 40 feet in width, it was for many years the longest stone bridge in England. Shops and houses were built on the bridge, which made it the longest inhabited bridge in Europe at that time and it was considered a wonder. It remained as the primary crossing of the river Thames in London for over 600 years. In 1831, it was demolished and replaced by another London Bridge, which was replaced by another in 1973 that is the modern London Bridge.

Old London Bridge with Southwark in the foreground, drawn by Claes Van Visscher, 1616. Angr, PD, via Wikimedia Commons.

Further reading: “The Medieval London Bridge”. The History of London. https://www.thehistoryoflondon.co.uk/the-medieval-london-bridge/

D J Keene & Vanessa Harding, "St. Mary Colechurch 105/18", Historical Gazetteer of London Before the Great Fire Cheapside; Parishes of All Hallows Honey Lane, St Martin Pomary, St Mary Le Bow, St Mary Colechurch and St Pancras Soper Lane, 1987, British History Online, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-gazetteer-pre-fire/pp490-517

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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