| Copyright 2005 S Wander
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| | parts of the executed who were to be put
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| London Bridge today is not the same London
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| | on display afterward. As late as the year
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| Bridge that crossed the Thames when it was
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| | 1598, a German traveller counted over
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| first built. Peter, a priest and chaplain
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| | thirty heads.
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| of St. Mary's of Colechurch, began the
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| | But having so much on the bridge itself
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| foundation of the original bridge in 1176
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| | became dangerous indeed to inhabitants and
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| to replace a wooden bridge (expensive to
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| | travellers. Only three years after it was
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| maintain and repeatedly burned down) that
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| | first completed, a huge fire destroyed its
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| had first been built by the Romans. The
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| | buildings, killing perhaps 3000 people
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| original London Bridge consisted of
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| | when it jumped from one end of the bridge
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| nineteen pointed arches, each with a span
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| | to the other, trapping firefighting crowds
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| averaging 7 meters, and built on
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| | between the flames. The houses were
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| 6-metre-wide piers. A twentieth opening in
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| | quickly rebuilt - and in 1282 five of the
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| the bridge was spanned by a wooden
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| | bridge arches collapsed with the weight of
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| drawbridge. With the building of this
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| | winter ice. But they too were rebuilt
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| bridge, a peculiar effect was discovered -
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| | along with their requisite buildings, and
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| the tide roared through the narrow arches
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| | the bridge continued as London's sole
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| every day with great force; in fact, it
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| | crossing of the Thames until 1750, when
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| was so dramatically affected that it
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| | Westminster Bridge opened.
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| created temporary 5-foot-high cataracts
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| | At about this time, the designer of
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| every day as it went in and out.. A new
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| | Westminster Bridge was hired to repair and
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| sport based on this nifty effect was
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| | renovate London Bridge. Redesign and
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| "shooting the bridge" - slipping through
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| | repair was deemed necessary by the
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| the arches in a small boat when the tide
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| | narrowness of the road, the huge supports
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| was turning.
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| | of the bridge (which took up about a
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| Peter of Colechurch died in 1205, and his
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| | quarter of the river's width), and by the
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| work was completed by three other London
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| | dangerous sport of shooting the bridge and
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| citizens by 1209. The bridge, already
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| | other health hazards posed by the bridge.
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| rather narrow for its function, became
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| | By 1762 the character of the bridge was
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| even narrower (about 4 metres wide) when
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| | changed: all the houses were gone, the
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| shops and homes were built along both
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| | roadway was 14 metres wide, and the two
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| sides of the roadway right on the bridge
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| | central arches replaced by one great arch,
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| itself; by 1358, 138 places of business
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| | allowing much easier passage for larger
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| were recorded in the tax rolls. And, like
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| | boats.
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| most older London buildings, the shops
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| | Alas, this central arch proved difficult
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| were built so that the upper floors
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| | to maintain, and in the early 1800s a
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| stretched over the roadway - at last, the
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| | second bridge was built a few meters away.
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| bridge became more like a long tunnel
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| | The original London Bridge was demolished
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| lined with shops, through which travelers
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| | by 1832. The new bridge was called
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| and other people flowed. One can only
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| | Rennie's Bridge. Designed by George Rennie
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| imagine the smell, with the sheltered
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| | and constructed by John Rennie, it was
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| road, no real drainage, and lots of horses
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| | composed of only five arches, with the
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| and people! The houses were built so that
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| | central span reaching 46 metres. Rennie's
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| they overhung the water as well as the
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| | London Bridge had a very odd ending. It
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| roadway, and were anchored by tying them
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| | lasted less than 140 years. Between 1968
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| together across the street with arches of
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| | and 1971, it was dismantled and shipped
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| strong timber. In 1580, water mills added
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| | across the Atlantic to the United States,
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| to the general chaos of the bridge.
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| | where it was rebuilt in Lake Havasu City,
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| The bridge was not only a home and place
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| | where it still stands, crossing Lake
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| of business, it was a defensible
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| | Havasu, 255 kilometres south of Hoover Dam
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| structure. More than once, its drawbridge
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| | on the Colorado River. To see that London
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| was raised and men fought under its strong
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| | Bridge, Londoners have to fly ten thousand
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| tower to repulse invaders or rebels,
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| | miles!
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| putting the wooden houses built on the
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| | The current London Bridge is modern
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| bridge at some risk. Until after the
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| | pre-stressed concrete with a central span
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| Scottish Restoration, the bridge was often
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| | of 104 meters.
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| decorated by the heads, quarters, or body
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