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Del Williams Media
Old London Town
Old London Town
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A sluggish river meandering through marshes to the sea, a cluster of huts and a primitive fort by Walbrook—such was old London Town when the Romans first appeared. The name is probably derived from the Celtic "Llyn," a pool (that portion of the river below London Bridge is still known as "The Pool"), and "din" or "dun," a hill or fort.
Four centuries of Roman domination and London, or Augusta, as it was then called, had become the principal port of Britain—a walled city with marsh lands surrounding it upon all sides, save one, the north, where stood a dense forest, portions of which still remain at Hampstead and Epping to delight the hearts of Bank Holiday trippers to-day. The Roman Wall, some two miles in length, is said to have been built about 360 A.D., but there is reason to believe it may be a couple of centuries older. Much of it may still be seen; the considerable length of the wall in St. Alphage Churchyard, and a bastion has been discovered quite recently when excavating for the General Post Office extension.
Many of the fragments are on private property hidden away in ci ty cellars, and one portion of the wall I remember to have seen from the staircase window of a city rectory.
It may seem strange to find so little evidence remaining of the Roman occupation. Portions of the wall and Watling Street, a Roman bath and possibly London Stone at St. Swithin's Church, these are the only relics of that time so far as London is concerned. The explanation, however, is a simple one. We have seen that London was surrounded on every side by waste lands, and was therefore dependent for its supplies from far afield.
When the Roman legions were finally recalled owing to urgent private affairs London fell on evil times. A series of invasions of Britain, beginning with Picts and Scots and followed by Angles, Jutes and Saxons and even Irish pirates, cut off London from communication with the surrounding country. The merchants ruined and the inhabitants starved, London became desolate and deserted, the houses and quays fell into decay—Roman Augusta had disappeared. Gradually the East Saxons, forsaking their farming and nomadic life, together with some remnants of the conquered Britons, ventured back to the deserted town, and were shortly followed by foreign merchants. Trade revived and London was born again.
Four centuries of Roman domination and London, or Augusta, as it was then called, had become the principal port of Britain—a walled city with marsh lands surrounding it upon all sides, save one, the north, where stood a dense forest, portions of which still remain at Hampstead and Epping to delight the hearts of Bank Holiday trippers to-day. The Roman Wall, some two miles in length, is said to have been built about 360 A.D., but there is reason to believe it may be a couple of centuries older. Much of it may still be seen; the considerable length of the wall in St. Alphage Churchyard, and a bastion has been discovered quite recently when excavating for the General Post Office extension.
Many of the fragments are on private property hidden away in ci ty cellars, and one portion of the wall I remember to have seen from the staircase window of a city rectory.
It may seem strange to find so little evidence remaining of the Roman occupation. Portions of the wall and Watling Street, a Roman bath and possibly London Stone at St. Swithin's Church, these are the only relics of that time so far as London is concerned. The explanation, however, is a simple one. We have seen that London was surrounded on every side by waste lands, and was therefore dependent for its supplies from far afield.
When the Roman legions were finally recalled owing to urgent private affairs London fell on evil times. A series of invasions of Britain, beginning with Picts and Scots and followed by Angles, Jutes and Saxons and even Irish pirates, cut off London from communication with the surrounding country. The merchants ruined and the inhabitants starved, London became desolate and deserted, the houses and quays fell into decay—Roman Augusta had disappeared. Gradually the East Saxons, forsaking their farming and nomadic life, together with some remnants of the conquered Britons, ventured back to the deserted town, and were shortly followed by foreign merchants. Trade revived and London was born again.
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