It’s estimated that there are over 1,000 bodies under the station. Originally formed by a loop of the Thames and the division of the Tyburn River, it is thought that Thorney Island may have been inhabited by the Romans. Transport . In the late 16th century, Paul Hentzner, a German visitor to the city, made some notes on the bridge: “Upon this is built a tower, on whose top the heads of such as have been executed for high treason are placed on iron spikes: we counted above thirty.”. To make this even more fun, I want to challenge you as well. Considering that it is perhaps the most famous theatre in the world, the original Globe had a surprisingly short – though highly eventful – existence. This flag, which is called the Royal Standard, must only be flown from buildings where the Queen is present. It was built as a royal palace and a defence system. When the station entrance was completely redesigned and rebuilt in 1962, the heedless demolition of the arch galvanised the nascent preservation movement. Here are 25 Interesting Facts about London that you probably didn’t know before reading this! Feel free to bore your friends and family with that fact if you ever do a tour of London. 50 – London bridge is constructed out of wood. Our best wishes for a productive day. They even went as far as using a hawk to keep them at bay, which evidently turned out to be successful. How many of these London facts did you know before reading this? And no, the reason for it is not to look good on pictures. Opened in 1599, the Globe played host to Shakespeare for 14 years, during which time he wrote many of his greatest works. We have not been able to trace any such law, and neither have the House of Commons authorities.’. London Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The history finds out that London has experienced terrorist attacks, aerial bombardment, civil war, devastating fire, plaque, riots and civil war. Richard Guard is the author of Lost London: An A-Z of Forgotten Llandmarks and Lost Traditions (Michael O’Mara Books, 2012). 15. In 1680, Jonathan Miles opened Jonathan’s Coffee Shop in Bank. By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra terms and conditions and privacy policy. Some of which Londoners are still discovering to this day. When the Romans arrived they quickly chose the London area as the HQ for all activities in their new island colony perhaps because the area between present day Cannon Street Station and the Tower of London, on the north bank of the River Thames made an ideal port and with quick access to high ground. Westminster Bridge, London. When she’s home, you can see her royal flag flying from the flagpole. As one of the most diverse cities in the world, London houses over 8 million residents, who collectively speak over 300 languages, including Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien and of course English. London Life. It housed a huge canvas panorama of London, painted by Thomas Hornor. Everything you know about 17th-century London is wrong, 10 things you (probably) didn’t know about the Great Fire of London, The earthquakes that rocked Georgian London, From politics to pleasure gardens: the real history behind Poldark’s 18th-century London, 5 facts about Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, The Globe theatre fire of 1613: when Shakespeare’s playhouse burned down, A drink for the devil: 8 facts about the history of coffee, Coffee, plague and the Great Fire: the pleasures and perils of Restoration London, Accidental explosions: gunpowder in Tudor and Stuart London, Touring London with Shakespeare, Dickens and Oscar Wilde: 7 must-see literary landmarks. Multicultural London. She is…, Sustainable living is fundamental to protecting our environment and our future. London is one of the largest cities in Europe. Arrange a visit to the Tower of London here. Another for our facts about London, has to be the numerous famous people that have lived there. 1.265 billion people use the London Underground every year. The fashionable suburbs spread north along Tottenham Court Road and north west to the village of Paddington. In the south the city spread to Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Walworth and Kennington. Another for our facts about London, has to be the numerous famous people that have lived there. Related: 6 Historic Sites To Visit In London If You’re A History Student. Although it failed to save the arch, many other historic buildings owe their survival to groups formed as a result. Bridges in London. ***** Planning your trip to London? Located on Philpot Lane, the statue of two tiny mice eating cheese is dedicated to two builders who fell during construction of The Monument after an argument over a missing sandwich, that they blamed on each other but was actually the fault of a mice infestation. Thank you for subscribing to HistoryExtra, you now have unlimited access. London was the first city to reach a population of more than one million, in 1811. Food and Drink. Here are 50 facts to share with fellow travellers on your next journey. Three out of the ten largest and most popular museums in the world are located in London. It was made like that so a mob can never surround it. Several hospitals were founded in London in the 18th century including Westminster (1720), Guys (1724), St Ge… It has a population of only 9,123 people, making it the smallest in England. Royal London. The cross, built in the forecourt of Charing Cross station, is a Victorian replacement of the original, 180 yards away from its former location, now marked by a statue of Charles I on horseback looking down Whitehall. London - London - History: Although excavations west of London have revealed the remains of circular huts dating from before 2000 bc, the history of the city begins effectively with the Romans. Open Spaces . I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else and it is a privilege to share London’s unique combination of history, art, culture and contemporary attractions with visitors. Shops and Markets . History of London; Roman London; Anglo-Saxon London; Norman and Medieval London; Tudor London; Stuart London; 18th-century London; 19th-century London; London 1900–1939; London in World War II; Modern London (from 1945) London in the 1960s; See also; Timeline London portal: 43 CE – Settlement named Londinium. Searchers most likely buried them there en-mass after the Great Plague. An average of 2.7 million Tube journeys are made on the London Underground every day. In order for a person to become a black cab driver, they must complete a rigorous test called ‘The Knowledge’, which involves memorising every single street in the capital. We’re lucky to have our accommodation in the city of London as it boasts a wealth of culture and history. This particularly affected London because of the narrow streets and lack of sanitation. As well as the 300 languages spoken in London, the amount of museums in the capital adds to the culture of this city. Such as Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, Sylvia Plath, Charles Dickens, Jimi Hendrix, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Florence Nightingale and 100’s of others. Evidently, they decided to opt for trains. 1) The Romans first built London nearly 2000 years ago – but Boudicca, the queen of a Celtic tribe, burnt it to the ground a … It turns out that its position on the banks of Thames River is carefully planned. A new theatre was built in 1614, but was demolished in 1644 when all plays were banned by the Puritan parliament. The identity of Jack the Ripper, London’s most notorious serial killer, has never been discovered. However, the real number is unknown, as many more died from indirect causes. The structure is 365m in diameter; and 52m high in the middle; with 12 supporting poles, symbolising days, weeks and months of the year. Cab drivers can spend years trying to learn it all. Thanks! During this time, men known as Searchers shouted out ‘Bring out your dead’ all through the summer of 1665. Districts / Areas . Take one of our food tours. The Tower was founded by William the Conqueror towards the end of the 1066. Briefly used for magic-lantern shows, the Colosseum was demolished in 1874 or 1875, and is now covered by Cambridge Gate. Menu. The Liberties of the Fleet in many ways resembled Las Vegas of today – a notorious area famed for debauchery, where the reach of the law was restricted. There is suspicion that some illicit matches took place, against the will of one or other of the parties, but judging from the number of unions made (estimated to be almost 250,000 in just 60 years up to 1753), it seems more likely that the ability to marry without parental consent might well have been the more common motivation. The theatre was destroyed by fire in 1613 after its thatch was accidentally set alight by a cannon during a performance of Henry VIII. One of the most visited cities in the world, London is also the most populous city of UK. 10 things you (probably) didn’t know about the history of London. However, the attraction’s initial popularity soon waned, and in 1831 the building was sold to opera singer John Barham, whose dream to turn it into an opera house took both his fortune and his health. In the east growth spread to Stepney, Ratcliffe, Limehouse and Wapping. Arrange a visit to the Houses of Parliament here. 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