LONDON

LONDON IS THE CAPITAL CITY OF ENGLAND AND THE UNITED

KINGDOM. IT IS THE MOST POPULOUS CITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
WITH A METROPOLITAN AREA OF OVER 13 MILLION INHABITANTS.
The Romans founded London about 50 AD. Its name is derived
from the Celtic word Londinios, which means the place of the
bold one. After they invaded Britain in 43 AD the Romans built
a bridge across the Thames.
RICH CITIZENS HAD BATHS IN THEIR HOMES BUT THERE WERE SEVERAL
PUBLIC BATHS NEAR THE CITY GATES. (ROMANS WENT TO THE BATHS TO
SOCIALIZE NOT JUST TO KEEP CLEAN)
THE LAST ROMAN SOLDIER LEFT BRITAIN IN
407 AD. AFTERWARDS, DURING THE SO-
CALLED DARK AGES LONDON WAS
PROBABLY ABANDONED. THERE MAY HAVE
BEEN A FEW PEOPLE LIVING INSIDE THE
WALLS BY FISHING OR FARMING BUT
LONDON CEASED TO BE A TOWN. BUT SOON
IT ROSE AGAIN. A NEW TOWN APPEARED
OUTSIDE THE WALLS ON THE SITE OF
COVENT GARDEN. IT WAS MUCH SMALLER
THAN ROMAN LONDON WITH PERHAPS
10,000 INHABITANTS.
DISASTER STRUCK LONDON IN
842 WHEN THE DANES LOOTED
LONDON. THEY RETURNED IN
851 AND THIS TIME THEY
BURNED A LARGE PART OF THE
TOWN (AN EASY TASK WHEN
ALL BUILDINGS WERE OF
WOOD). THEN THE DANES GAVE
UP JUST RAIDING AND TURNED
TO CONQUEST. THEY
CONQUERED NORTHERN AND
EASTERN ENGLAND INCLUDING
LONDON. HE VIKINGS AND
SAXONS RULED JOINTLY
ENGLAND UNTIL 1042, WHEN
EDWARD THE CONFESSOR
BECAME KING OF BOTH THE
VIKINGS AND THE SAXONS.
EDWARD ALSO BUILT
WESTMINSTER ABBEY, WHICH
WAS CONSECRATED A FEW
WEEKS BEFORE HIS DEATH.
 LONDON IN THE MIDDLE AGES
The population of London at this time was perhaps 18,000, which seems very small to us
but was very large by the standards of the time. London grew in size through the 12th
century and some people began to build housed outside the walls. In 1176 the wooden
bridge across the Thames was replaced with a stone one.
IN THE 12TH OR 13TH CENTURY LONDON WAS OFTEN SPELLED LUNDEN OR
LUNDON. BY THE TIME OF CHAUCER IN THE LATE 14TH CENTURY IT WAS
SPELLED LONDON.

In Medieval London
streets were sometimes
named after the trades
carried on there. Bakers
lived in Bread Street and
Poultry was sold in that
street. Cows were kept in
Milk Street for milking.
THE POPULATION OF LONDON MAY HAVE REACHED 50,000 BY THE MIDDLE OF THE
14TH CENTURY MAKING IT FAR LARGER THAN ANY OTHER TOWN IN ENGLAND.
HOWEVER AT LEAST A THIRD OF THE POPULATION DIED WHEN THE BLACK DEATH
STRUCK IN 1348-49 BUT LONDON SOON RECOVERED. ITS POPULATION MAY HAVE
REACHED 70,000 BY THE END OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

The Tower of London

 LONDON IN THE 16TH CENTURY AND 17TH CENTURY
In the early 17th century rich men continued to On the other side of London hovels
build houses west of London. were built.
IN 1665 THE GREAT PLAGUE KILLED ABOUT 70,000 PEOPLE. THE BUBONIC PLAGUE
WAS BROUGHT TO LONDON BY RATS ON BOARD TRADING SHIPS. IT SPREAD VERY
QUICKLY BECAUSE PEOPLE LIVED IN VERY CLOSE QUARTERS AND HYGIENE
STANDARDS WERE VERY LOW
IN 1666 THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON DESTROYED TWO THIRDS OF THE CITY: 13,200
HOUSES, 430 STREETS AND 89 CHURCHES. THE FIRE COULD BE SEEN FROM FORTY
MILES ROUND THE CAPITAL. IT STARTED AS A SMALL FIRE ACCIDENTALLY IN
PUDDING LANE IN THE CITY OF LONDON, AND RAGED FOR FOUR DAYS AS AN
ENORMOUS FIRE.
 LONDON IN THE 18TH CENTURY
The population of London rose from about 600,000 in 1700 to
950,000 in 1800.
Many new buildings were erected. Buckingham Palace was built
in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham.
IN 1837, VICTORIA BECAME
QUEEN AT THE AGE OF 18. THE
TIME WHILE SHE WAS QUEEN IS
CALLED THE VICTORIAN ERA.
LONDON GREW FAST. BETTER
LIGHTING, PLUMBING AND
TRANSPORT DEVELOPED, TOO.
BY THE TIME VICTORIA DIED IN
1901, LONDON WAS A VERY
DIFFERENT CITY.
 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
London grew even bigger in the twentieth century. Many more people went to live in
the city suburbs and travelled to work by train, bus or car. The city changed too, with
new buildings replacing those damaged by bombs during the war years.
The First World War
The First World War began in 1914. The first air raid hit London on 1915 and during the
war over 835 people were killed in air attacks.

The Second World War

In 1939 the Second World War broke out and some 690,000 children were moved out of
London
 LONDON IN THE 21st CENTURY
At the beginning of the 21st Century London continued to grow rapidly. The
Greater London Authority was created in 2000. Furthermore the London Eye
opened to the public in 2000. In 2012 a new building was opened in London
called the Shard. Today the population of London is 8.5 million.
The end…