A Time

Traveller's
Guide To
Historical
London
Presented to you by Taemin Yun
 Contents Page

-1-Roman Londinium, AD43-AD400

-2-Medieval London, AD400- 1450

-3-Early Modern London, 1450-1750

-4-London 1750-1900

-5-London since 1900

 This book will guide
time travellers through
the history of London;
It's advancements of
settlers and different
rulers in their respective
eras.

Introduction
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 ROMAN LONDINI
UM AD43-400
In AD43, the Romans invaded Celtic Britain,
conquering most of England. They chose to
build a settlement where the river and land
was the closest together.
The bridge connecting the south and north-
bank settlement of the city was always filled
with numerous carts and people which
crossed it every day.
After a few years, it became the most
important city in Roman Britain. Travelling
2000years back, you will find yourself
amongst crowds of people and a busy port at
the edge of the Thames.
There were many religious temples devoted
to the gods. The Romans also built an
Ampitheatre, where they enjoyed watching
gladiators fight, a basilica which was a huge
building purposed for Roman administration
and important political discussion and a fort
which could hold 1000soldiers.
 London underwent through a lot of changes. By the 7th century, Anglo Saxon settlers built a new
trading town to the west of the abandoned Roman City. They named it Lundenwic.

In the 9th century, warriors from Scandinavia now known as the Vikings invaded London. Saxons
abandoned Lundenwic and settled within Roman walls, building new streets, towns and markets.

In the 1050s the Saxon King Edward the Confessor built his royal palace and abbey at Westminster.
Ever since, Westminster had been the Centre of the government; A meeting place for MPs and
important political parties.

Over the millennium, the area grew to a major market and trade, commercial wealth attracting the

Medieval establishment of the Palace of Westminster etc.

London In the streets of Medieval London, it was very pungent and all sorts of diseases such as smallpox or
the flu, the most prominent, 'The Black Death' from 1347-51 which killed up to 200million people .

AD400-1450
You will find yourself in narrow streets and densely packed timber houses. Fire was a common
danger for the citizens of London.
Early Modern London revolutionised in both style, culture and entertainment after the Middle Ages. People had a new type

London, 1450-
of way they could entertain themselves; the theatre. There were now 4 new theatres on the south bank of the
River Thames. The most famous being Shakespeare's Globe.

1750 In 1580, 150,000 people were living in London, by the 1630s this had increased to a overwhelming 300,000.
Poor people lived in suburbs beyond the city walls whilst the rich lived in grand houses and mansions. The
issue of hygiene and sanitariness remained unsolved, causing a high chance of catching the bubonic plague
which killed more than 12,000 people.
In 1666, a major disaster struck ; the Great Fire of London. As houses were made of wood and timber and
built very closely to each other, fire spread rapidly, destroying some 80percent of the city. The fire raged for
4days as desperate people plunged in boats or into the River Thames.

For the rebuilding plan architects like Sir Christopher Wren and King Charles II wanted to rebuild the city in
a Renaissance plan of wide streets, squares and vistas, the citizens of London wanted to move in as fast as
possible. So London was rebuilt in brick according to the old plan.

The fire also led up to the setting of the London Building Act which stated that houses should be built of
brick and of standard design which formed the bases of London streets and houses that are still housing
people up to this day. After the fire, you'd most likely find yourself in stylish vistas and streets with classical
music bringing harmony into the air
London 1750- London in 1750 was a buzzing megalopolis with new stylish squares, markets and

1900
churches like St Paul's Cathedral.

After the great fire of London, there were grand houses, huge magnificent public
buildings however the small, existing exurban communities grew until they formed
large, untidy metropolis.

London's first railway opened in 1836, the Metropolitan Line. It was an immediate
success although it caused huge disruption on the streets and working conditions
were very dangerous.

Although a new method, less disruptive way of was invented for building tunnels,
the first few years of railways resulted in neighborhoods destroyed and many areas
were overcrowded with some citizens forced to poverty.
 Two major wars sparked during the 1900 to the late 1940s; World
War One and Two, with World War II affecting most
significantly. London began to spread outwards, making its
population 8.6 million before World War II.

It would be the largest city at that time and the most populated and
influential. However in the aftermath of World War II, most of the

London since north had been demolished.

1900 In the reconstruction, office-blocks and skyscrapers dominated the

skyline and London became a centre for education, work and new
job opportunities.

However, historically renowned buildings still stand today of these

are St Pauls Cathedral and even the Tower Of London which have
survived the German raids of 1914-18.
End of the Guide