London Bridge is Falling Down

London Bridge is Falling Down represents a famous bridge that crosses over the River Thames in London. There have been many different London Bridges built on the same site over the years.

The bridge was first built by the Romans during their rule of England in the first century. After the Romans left, the bridge fell because of disrepair. The bridge was not re-built during the Saxon era because the river marked a boundary between two kingdoms. The first London Bridge was made of wood and clay, but the bridge continued to be rebuilt with the other materials mentioned in the nursery rhyme.

In the 1000s, the bridge was re-built. The Vikings then destroyed the bridge. After that, the bridge was re-built with a drawbridge. The building materials changed because of fires set on the bridge.

Peter de Colechurch designed the first stone bridge in 1176. It took thirty-three years to build. It was huge, complete with twenty arches, a tower and gates. The bridge had water wheels under its arches. The River Thames flowed under it and turned the wheels to grind grain.

The bridge had 140 shops by the 1300s. The reference to silver and gold in the rhyme refers to the trading taking place on the bridge. The bridge was later expanded due to traffic. After the Great Fire of London in 1666, the bridge’s arches and foundation was weakened.

A new bridge was built in the 1820s north of the old one. After it was completed in 1831, the old bridge was destroyed. Then in the 1960s another bridge was built. The bridge was built using modern architecture It had only two supporting piers. The old 1831 bridge was transported to Lake Havasu in Arizona, USA stone by stone. The 1960s London Bridge still stands today.

The current London Bridge

The 1831 London Bridge in Lake Havasu, Arizona