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Have
you ever wondered where street names such as Bishopsgate and Ludgate
originated? This illustrated Talk covers their Roman origins, their purpose and
the fascinating people who lived near them, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, 15th
century writer of the Canterbury Tales.
For almost 1,500 years the growing and bustling City of London was confined to the limits of its defensive Wall and Gates. The first Wall was built by the Romans around 200 AD, 150 years after the foundation of Londinium. What made the Romans feel they needed a defensive Wall with Gates? The Wall stretched for 2 miles (3.2km). Under the Romans and Saxons there were 6 Gates.
During the later Saxon period the Wall was strengthened and made taller and the Saxons also restored many of the Gates, giving them a protected City that they called Lundenburg. In the 18th century these Gates became redundant as London expanded outwards from the City and they were demolished. During the 20th century archaeological excavations have revealed some of sections of the various Gates, and one can be seen at Cripplegate, opened at certain times by the Museum of London.
The
Gates were the only way into a City surrounded by the Wall; they were closed at
curfew time and opened early in the morning. This was the reason why there were
so many Inns located on the northern and southern end of London Bridge, which
was the only bridge crossing the Thames into the City of London until 1750.
Through these Gates would travel Kings and Queens in procession, and it was across Old London Bridge that Henry V rode into London on his way back from the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, to be entertained by the City’s Lord Mayor at a grand banquet at the Guildhall.
The picture on the left is that of Temple Bar by Sir Christopher Wren, and although not considered a Gate, it nevertheless was the boundary line between the City of London and the City of Westminster. Temple Bar was removed in the 19th century but will form part of the new Paternoster Square next to St Paul’s Cathedral.