Unit 13 A Brief History of London

Unit13ABriefHistoryofLondonLondonisinfacttwocities-TheCityofLondonusuallyjustcalledTheCity,andWestminster,whichliestoitswest.ForallintentsandpurposestheWestEnd(everythingtotheimmediateWestoftheCity)isnowthecentreofLondon-theEastEnd(homeofCockneyculture)istraditionallyapoorworkingclassandindustrialarea,currentlyundergoingsomethingofarenaissance.Thereareslums（poorareas）withinhalfamileofthebiggestconcentrationoffinancialpowerintheworld-largelyduetoaninvisiblebarrierbetweentheCityandtheEastEnd.LondiniumwasfoundedbytheRomansataconvenientcrossingoftheThames,thoughithadbeenconvenientforthelocalinhabitantstoo.TacitusdescribesaflourishingtradingcityexistinginAD67.Theareawasmarshybuttherewasalowhill,roughlywheretheBankofEnglandnowstandsanditwasherethattheRomanschosetobuildatypicalRomancity,primarilyformilitaryreasons.TheirforumwaswhereLeadenhallmarketnowstands.TheybelievedthatBritainwasakindofElDorado,andthatthey'dmaketheirfortunehere,aspreviouslegionshadgrownrichofftheAmberthatGermansdidn'tseemtovalue.Theriverwasnavigablealongwayinland,andtidal,whichmadeiteasytogetboatsinandout.There'sagreatamountofRomanarcheologyabout-theMuseumofLondonleadsdigswheneveranybuildingiserected,andasthat'soften,weknowagreatdealabouttheRomanperiod.Englandatthattimewasinhabitedbyahodge-podgeoftribesandsmallkingdoms,andtheRomanshadlittledifficultysubduingthem-despitesomenobleeffortsatdefence.ThelocalsassimilatedRomanculture,andafteracoupleofhundredyearsweremoreRomanthantheRomans.WhentheRomanspulledout,pressuredbyfrontierwars,theSaxonstookover.TheyhatedlivingintheoldwalledRomancityandestablishedtheirowncityoflonghuts,roughlywhereCoventGardenistoday.Thisdualitystillpersists-theCityisessentiallyRomanLondinium,andWestminsteristheSaxonadd-on.WhennewinvaderssweptthecountrytheSaxonsandtheirkinmovedbackintothesafetyoftheoldRomanCity,nowquitedeserted,anditwasherethatLondonoriginated.BythetimetheNormanstookoverfromtheSaxons,thebasisofthemercantile(商人的，贸易的，商业的relatingtomerchantsortrading)capitalwasalreadylaid:acharterofcitizensrightsandaconfederationoftradesmen,providingacounterweighttothearistocracy.LondonwasaleadingtradingportofwesternEurope-merchantsfromItaly,theNetherlands,FranceandGermanylivedaroundtheriver-whichhadonlyonecrossing-theOldLondonBridge,until1769.Foodandwinecamein,woolandleatherwentout.Duetothewooltrade'scentreinEastAnglia-neartheoldBoston-LondonwasforatimeEngland'ssecondcity.Howevertheestablishmentofmerchant'sguildswiththemayorattheirheadre-establishedLondon'splaceascapital.Theygrewupasmisteriesortradesduringthemedievalperiod,(theMysteryPlays,stillperformed,arereligiousplayswhichwereenactedbyguildsmen).Thesemedievalguildsandliverycompaniesexisttoday,andpreservefinebuildingsacrosstheCity-theWeavers'companydatesbackto1130,thesaddlers'companygoesbackto1272,WaxChandlers'Companyto1358,thoughtheLaunderers'guildwasformedaslateas1960.Napleon'sjibethatBritainwasanationofshopkeepersistrue:withalivingtoprotectfrominvaders,andtradingroutesandprivilegestoprotectoverseas,itwasunsurprisingthattheymadedoughtyfighters,astheFrenchleanedtotheircostatCrecyandAgincourt.InTudortimes-afteryearswastedinwarsofsuccession(whichexplainsHenryVIII'sdesperateandbloodyattemptstosecureamaleheir)thedissolutionofthemonasteries,andterriblereligiouspersecution(thecountrywentfromcatholictoprotestant,backtocatholicandHenryVIII'sneedforadivorcesawthefinalbreachwithRome)ledtopovertyandmassunemployment.Theblackdeathandotherplaguesdecimatedthepopulation.Howeverbythelate16thcentury,theseedsofEngland'sfutureasaworldtradingpowerweresownwiththeformationoftheTradingCompanies-TheEastIndiaCompany,TheMuscovyCompanytheLevantCompany,andtheTurkeyCompany,whichalongwithBritain'snavalprowess,sawmanagementtechniquesstillveneratedbyworldcorporations,conquertheworld.Englandwasalsoattheforefrontoftheartswithalivelytheatreandmusicscene(thelattereclipsedbyoneEuropeannationafteranother,itspre-eminencewasnotregaineduntilafterthefirstworldwar).ThePlaguein1665andthefirein1666shookLondonoutofitscomplacency(therearespectacularaccountsofboththeseinDefoeandPepys'journals)butalsoleadtoawaveofpropertydevelopment(whichisstillgoingon),thatsawtheforerunnersofSirRichardRogers(Wren,Hawksmoorandawholecrewofarchitecturalgeniuses)dominatingthecityskylines.Thisredevelopmentwentonintothe18thCentury,seeingbuildingslikeTheBankofEnglandandmostoftheBridgesacrosstheThamesspringingup.TowerBridge(oftenmistakenforLondonBridge,mostnotablybyanAmericanMillionaire,whotransplantedtheoldLondonBridgetoArizona,onlyfindingoutondeliveryhehadn'tboughtTowerBridge)wasopenedin1894.TheVictorianssupervisedthetransformationofLondonintoamoderncity,sewersandundergroundrailways(1863)tunneledbeneaththeclayoftheworld'scapital,whileovergroundrailways(1836)andomnibuses(1855)openedupacrossthecity,andtheportofLondonenjoyedafinalflowering.DespitethepresenceoftheRoyalPalaces,WestminsterAbbey(aplaceofpilgrimage)andthecountry'sfirstprintingpresses,Westminsterreallyonlycameintoitsowninthe19thcentury,andwasgrantedthetitleofaCity,withitsownmayorin1900.Un