 London Roman Wall – surviving section by Tower Hill gardens cross-section | |
  City of London, within Greater London | |
| Location | Central London |
|---|---|
| Region | Greater London |
| Coordinates | 51°31′N0°05′W / 51.51°N 0.08°W /51.51; -0.08 |
| Type | Fortification |
| Length | 2.5 miles (4.0 km)[1] |
| Area | 0.514 m² |
| History | |
| Material | Kentish ragstone (Roman sections) and brick (later additions) |
| Founded | c. AD 200 |
| Periods | Roman tolate 18th century |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Fragmentary remains |
| Public access | Partially |
TheLondon Wall is adefensive wall first built by theRomans around the strategically important port town ofLondinium inc. AD 200,[2] as well as the name of amodern street in theCity of London, England.
Roman London was, from around 120–150, protected by a large fort, with a large garrison, that stood to its north-western side. The fort, now referred to as theCripplegate Fort, was later incorporated into a comprehensive city-wide defence, with its strengthened northern and western sides becoming part of the Wall which was built around 200. The incorporation of the fort's walls gave the walled area its distinctive shape in the north-west part of the city.
Theend of Roman rule in Britain, around 410, led to the wall falling into disrepair. It was restored in the late Anglo-Saxon period, a process generally thought to have begun underAlfred the Great after 886. Repairs and enhancements continued throughout the medieval period. The wall largely defined the boundaries of the City of London until thelater Middle Ages, when population rises and the development of towns around the city blurred the perimeter.[2]
From the 18th century onward, the expansion of theCity of London saw large parts of the wall demolished, including its city gates, to improve traffic flow. Since theSecond World War, conservation efforts have helped to preserve surviving sections of the city wall asscheduled monuments.
The long presence of the walls has had a profound and continuing effect on the character of the City of London, and surrounding areas.[3] The walls constrained the growth of the city, and the location of the limited number of gates and the route of the roads through them shaped development within the walls, and more fundamentally, beyond them. With few exceptions, the modern roads heading into the former walled area are the same as those which passed through the former medieval gates.
It has origins as an initial mound wall and ditch fromc. AD 100[4] and a fort, now called Cripplegate fort after the city gate (Cripplegate) that was subsequently built on its northern wall later on, in 120–150[5]
The fort was later incorporated into a city-wide defence in the late 2nd or early 3rd century AD, though the reason for such a large and expensive fortification is unknown.[6] The fort's north and west walls were thickened and doubled in height to form part of the new city wall. The incorporation of the fort's walls gave the walled area its distinctive shape in the north-west part of the city.
It continued to be developed until at least the end of the 4th century, making it among the last major building projects undertaken by theRomans before theRoman departure from Britain in 410. Reasons for its construction may have been connected to the invasion of northern Britain byPicts who overranHadrian's Wall in the 180s.[7] This may be linked to the political crisis that emerged in the late 2nd century when the governor of BritainClodius Albinus was consolidating his power after claiming the right of succession asRoman emperor. After a struggle with his rivalSeptimius Severus, Albinus was defeated in 197 at theBattle of Lugdunum (nearLyon, France). The economic stimulus provided by the wall and Septimius's subsequent campaigns inScotland improved Londinium's financial prosperity in the early 3rd century.
The wall's gateways coincided with their alignment to theBritish network of Roman roads. The original gates, clockwise from Ludgate in the west to Aldgate in the east, were:Ludgate,Newgate,Cripplegate,Bishopsgate andAldgate.Aldersgate, between Newgate and Cripplegate, was added around 350.[6]Moorgate, initially just apostern i.e. a secondary gate, was built later still, in the medieval period.
The length and size of the wall made it one of the biggest construction projects in Roman Britain. It had gateways, towers and defensive ditches, and was built fromKentishragstone, which was brought by barge from quarries nearMaidstone. It was 2 miles (3.2 km) long, enclosing an area of about 330 acres (130 ha). It was 8 to 10 ft (2.5 to 3 m) wide and up to 20 ft (6 m) high.[8] The ditch orfossa in front of the outer wall was 6 ft 7 in (2 m) deep and up to 16 ft (5 m) wide. There were at least 22 towers spaced about 210 ft (64 m) apart on the eastern section of the wall.[9]
Excavation work has traced a significant development of 980 feet (300 m) of timber-framed waterfronts to the east and west of the modern site of London Bridge, with a piece of wooden bridge found at the end of Fish Street Hill. The constructions advancing around 115 feet (35 m) into theRiver Thames took place between the late 1st and mid-3rd centuries, highlighting that between these periods no wall stood against the river.[10][11]
After Londinium was raided on several occasions bySaxonpirates in the late 3rd century, construction of an additional riverside wall, built in phases,[10] began in 280 and was repairedc. 390.[6] The existence of this riverside section was long doubted due to a lack of evidence, but excavations at theTower of London in 1977 showed that the section of the inner curtain wall between the Lanthorne and Wakefield Towers, to the south of theWhite Tower, was originally the eastern part of the Roman riverside wall that was built or rebuilt in the late 4th century.[10][12][13][14][15] The riverside wall may have limited access to the Thames, both commercial and otherwise, so it may have reflected a diminished level of activity within the city.[16]
It is not clear how long the riverside wall survived, but there are references to a part of it near the dock ofQueenhithe, in two charters of 889 and 898.[17] There is currently no evidence of post-Roman restoration, so surviving sections are not likely to have been part, or an important part, of defences much after the Roman period.
Theend of Roman rule in Britain inc. 410[18] resulted in the wall slowly falling into disrepair, though the survival of Romano-British culture in the area is indicated by the settlement in the nearbySt Martin-in-the-Fields area ofWestminster, which persisted until around 450.[19]
TheAnglo-Saxon Chronicle notes that the Romano-British retreated back to London after their bloody defeat at theBattle of Crecganford (Crayford, Kent) at the hands ofHengist and Horsa, leaders of the Saxon invaders, in 457.[20] This suggests that London's walls retained some military value, although theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle was written many centuries after the Battle of Crayford took place, if it took place at all.
Fromc. 500, anAnglo-Saxon settlement known asLundenwic developed in the same area slightly to the west of the abandoned Roman city, in the vicinity of theStrand.[21]
In 886 theKing of Wessex,Alfred the Great, formally agreed to the terms of theDanishwarlord,Guthrum, concerning the area of political and geographical control that had been acquired by the incursion of the Vikings. Within the eastern and northern part of England, with its boundary roughly stretching from London toChester, the Scandinavians would establishDanelaw.
In the same year, theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle recorded that London was "refounded" by Alfred. Archaeological research shows that this involved abandonment of Lundenwic and a revival of life and trade within the old Roman walls. This was part Alfred's policy of building an in-depth defence of theKingdom of Wessex against the Vikings as well as creating an offensive strategy against the Vikings who controlledMercia. Theburh ofSouthwark was also created on the south bank of the River Thames during this time.
The city walls of London were repaired as the city slowly grew until about 950 when urban activity increased dramatically.[22] A large Viking army that attacked the London burgh was defeated in 994.[23]
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By the 11th century, London was beyond all comparison the largest town in England.Old St Paul's Cathedral, rebuilt in theRomanesque style by KingWilliam the Conqueror and his successors, was on its completionone of the longest churches in Europe.Winchester had previously been the capital of Anglo-Saxon England, but from this time on, London was the main forum for foreign traders and the base for defence in time of war. In the view ofFrank Stenton: "It had the resources, and it was rapidly developing the dignity and the political self-consciousness appropriate to a national capital."[24][25]
The size and importance of London led to the redevelopment of the city's defences. During the early medieval period – following theNorman Conquest of England – the walls underwent substantial work that includedcrenellations, additional gates and further towers and bastions. Aside from the seven City Wall gates and the four bars, there are the 13 water-gates on the Thames where goods were unloaded from ships. These include Billingsgate and Bridge Gate. Additionally there were pedestrian-only gates such as theTower Hill Postern atTower Hill.[26]
A further medieval defensive feature was the restoration of the defensive ditch immediately adjacent to the outside of the wall. The street nameHoundsditch recalls a part of this former feature. This seems to have been re-cut in 1213,[27] with the restored ditch being V-cut to a depth of 6 feet and a width of between 9 and 15 feet.[28]
The re-cut of the ditch may have diverted some of the waters of theWalbrook which would otherwise have flowed through the city, and the wall itself does appear to have acted like a dam, partially obstructing the Walbrook and leading to the marshy conditions at the open space ofMoorfields, just north of the wall.[29]
As London continued to grow throughout the medieval period, urban development grew beyond the city walls. This expansion led to the suffix words "Without" and "Within" which denote whether an area ofthe City – and usually applied to thewards – fell outside or within the London Wall, though onlyFarringdon and (formerly)Bridge were split into separate wards this way (Bridge Without falling beyond the gates onLondon Bridge). Some wards –Aldersgate,Bishopsgate andCripplegate – cover an area that was both within and outside the wall; although not split into separate wards, often the part (or "division") within the Wall is denoted (on maps, in documents, etc.) as being "within" and the part outside the Wall as being "without". Archaicallyinfra (within) andextra (without) were also used[30] and the terms "intramural" and "extramural"[31] are also used to describe being within or outside the walled part of the city.
The suffix is applied to some churches and parishes near the city gateways, such asSt Audoen within Newgate andSt Botolph-without-Bishopsgate.
Edward I gave theDominican Friars (or Black Friars) permission to demolish and re-route the section of City wall between Ludgate and the Thames. They did this in stages between 1284 and 1320, extending the walled area as far as theRiver Fleet so that it enclosed their precinct.[32] The westward extension is likely to have improved the defensibility of Ludgate.
In the medieval period the developed area of the city was largely confined to the City Wall, but there was extramural development, especially in the large western ward ofFarringdon Without. The wall provided security but was a constraint to accessibility and growth. The extent of the city's jurisdiction has changed little from 1000 to the modern day;[33] but the extramural parts were long home to only a few people. A notable late change to the boundary appears to be thatStow's Survey of London suggests that the part ofMoorfields next to the wall was still, in 1603, outside the city's jurisdiction.
The boundary of the city's jurisdiction was marked by "city bars", toll gates which were situated just beyond the old walled area;Holborn Bar,Temple Bar,West Smithfield Bar, and Whitechapel Bar. These were the important entrances to the city and their control was vital in maintaining the city's special privileges over certain trades.
During theGreat Fire of London in September 1666, almost all of the medievalCity of London inside the wall was destroyed, but the wall and gates survived.
The seven gates to the City of London, with many repairs and rebuilding over the years, stood until they were all demolished between 1760 and 1767.[34] Work to demolish the walls continued into the 19th century; however, large sections of the wall were incorporated into other structures.
The Blitz during the Second World War, through the sheer scale of bombing and destruction of buildings and the surrounding landscape, revealed numerous parts of the London Wall.
At 00:15 on 28 August 1940,[35] during the pre-wave of bombing before the Blitz, buildings and parts of the wall were destroyed between Fore Street andSt. Alphage's churchyard gardens aroundCripplegate.[36] This revealed parts of the wall unseen for over 300 years as the rubble of buildings destroyed around it were removed.
On 29 December 1940, heavy bombing led to conditions known as theSecond Great Fire of London. Bomb damage revealed a section of wall at Noble Street, near theMuseum of London.[37]
In 1957, a 64-metre section of the wall was uncovered during works on the London Wall road; the section was then destroyed to accommodate the road changes and to make way for a new car park. An 11-metre section has been preserved.[38]
In 1984, the Museum of London set up a Wall Walk from the Tower of London to the museum, using 23 tiled panels.[39] A number of these have been destroyed in subsequent years.[40] At Noble Street, the panels were replaced by etched glass panels. These were intended as a prototype for new panels along the entire walk, but no further replacements have been made. One of the largest and most readily accessed fragments of the wall stands just outsideTower Hill tube station, with a replica statue of the EmperorTrajan standing in front of it. There is a further surviving section preserved in the basement of theOne America Square building.[41][42] There are further remains in the basement of theOld Bailey.[43]
The layout of the Roman and medieval walls have had a profound effect on the development of London, even down to the present day.[3] The walls constrained the growth of the city, and the location of the limited number of gates and the route of the roads through them shaped development within the walls, and in a much more fundamental way, beyond them. With a few exceptions, the parts of the modern road network heading into the former walled area are the same as those which passed through the former medieval gates.
Part of the route originally taken by the northern wall is commemorated, although now only loosely followed,[44] by the road also named London Wall. The modern road starts in the west with the Rotunda junction at Aldersgate, then runs east pastMoorgate, from which point it runs parallel to the line of the City Wall, and eventually becomesWormwood Street before it reachesBishopsgate. This alignment, however, is the result of rebuilding between 1957 and 1976.[45] Before this, London Wall was narrower, and ran behind the line of the City Wall for its entire length, from Wormwood Street to Wood Street.[46] The western section is now St Alphage Garden.
The eastern section of the wall starts in what is now theTower of London. Within the grounds of the Tower remains of the eastern most wall can still be seen along with a line in the paths heading North within the Tower grounds to outline where it used to run before most of it was demolished to expand the fortification of the Tower.[47] This followed on with a junction at the Tower of London's moat to theTower Hill Postern, Gate 1,[48] a medieval fortified entrance. The foundation to this entrance can still be seen today within the Tower Hill pedestrian subway. Other large sections of the wall can also be seen further ahead within the Tower Hill gardens.
The wall from Tower Hill then runs east ofWalbrook toward the second historic gate,Aldgate – Gate 2.[48] These would have led onto the Roman road network towardEssex andEast Anglia viaStratford andColchester. In present times the roads Leadenhall Street and Fenchurch Street lead into Aldgate High Street, where the gate's foundations are buried roughly where the Jewry Street intersects. Following the wall north, it runs between what is now The Aldgate School and Aldgate Square.
From Aldgate, the wall then ran North-West toward Gate 3,[48] Bishopsgate. The road through this would have led onto the Roman road network toward leading toLincoln andYork. The current road, the A10 going north, now goes over the foundations of this gate.
From Bishopsgate going along the northern section of wall leads to Gate 4;[48] Moorgate. Until 1415 this was a smallpostern leading into the marshyMoorfields area ofFinsbury. The wet conditions were probably caused by the wall partially obstructing the flow of theWalbrook.[49] Moorgate remained ill-connected withno direct approach road from the south until 1846, some time after the wall had been demolished. London Wall, the modern road following this section of the wall, now crosses this gate's foundations. Leading north from here are routes into Finsbury.
Route to theLondon Charterhouse,Clerkenwell andIslington.
With direct access to more local routes.
High Holborn andOxford Street, with access via theDevil's Highway to Silchester and Bath, andWatling Street toSt Albans and the west midlands. These roads leading over theRiver Fleet.
The bastions, towers built against the face of the city wall, are scattered irregularly across its perimeter. Not bonded to the city wall itself, they are considered to be added after the construction of the wall and even later after by post-Roman builders.[48]
21 bastions are currently known about (more may be undiscovered). They can be grouped into:
| Location | Coordinates | Gallery | Conservation status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tower of London | 51°30′28.4″N0°04′32.2″W / 51.507889°N 0.075611°W /51.507889; -0.075611 | .jpg) | The Tower of London is operated byHistoric Royal Palaces. Open to the public on purchase of ticket. | |
| Tower Hill gardens | 51°30′35.7″N0°04′33.7″W / 51.509917°N 0.076028°W /51.509917; -0.076028 |   | Grade 1 Listed Building[51] List entry number: 1357518 Scheduled Monument[52] List entry number: 1002063 | Open to the public. 360 panoramic view of this site. |
| Tower Hill | 51°30′38.1″N0°04′34.1″W / 51.510583°N 0.076139°W /51.510583; -0.076139 |  | Scheduled Monument[53] List entry number: 1002062 | Partially accessible to the public. Can be accessed via a side street for a side-on view (as seen in this picture). For front-on view, access is through the privately ownedcitizenM Tower of London Hotel. |
| Basement of Roman Wall House, 1–2 Crutched Friars and Emperor House | 51°30′43.8″N0°04′35.4″W / 51.512167°N 0.076500°W /51.512167; -0.076500 | Scheduled Monument[54] List entry number: 1002069 | No public access. | |
| St Alphage Garden | 51°31′05″N0°05′33″W / 51.5180°N 0.0926°W /51.5180; -0.0926 |  | Scheduled Monument[55] List entry number: 1018884 | Public access |
| London Wall underground car park | 51°31′03.4″N0°05′25.9″W / 51.517611°N 0.090528°W /51.517611; -0.090528 |  | Scheduled Monument[56] List entry number: 1018885 | Open to public. Access through the 24/ 7 London Wall underground car park. |
| London Wall underground car park | 51°31′03.0″N0°05′43.5″W / 51.517500°N 0.095417°W /51.517500; -0.095417 |  | Scheduled Monument[57] List entry number: 1018889 | No public access – hidden from view. |
| Aldersgate Street (underneath road and pavement) | 51°31′00.2″N0°05′48.7″W / 51.516722°N 0.096861°W /51.516722; -0.096861 | Scheduled Monument[58] List entry number: 1018882 | ||
| Basement of the Central Criminal Court,Old Bailey | 51°30′55.3″N0°06′06.1″W / 51.515361°N 0.101694°W /51.515361; -0.101694 | Scheduled Monument[59] List entry number: 1018884 | No public access. Potentially arranged to view through a tour within the Old Bailey.[60] |
| Location | Coordinates | Gallery | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tower Hill pedestrian crossing | 51°30′34.1″N0°04′33.1″W / 51.509472°N 0.075861°W /51.509472; -0.075861 |  | Transcript of the London Wall Walk plaque 1 Transcript of tile 2'The London Wall Walk The London Wall Walk follows the original line of the City Wall for much of its length, from the royal fortress of the Tower of London to the Museum of London, situated in the modern high-rise development of theBarbican. Between these two landmarks the Wall Walk passes surviving pieces of the Wall visible to the public and the sites of the gates now buried deep beneath the City streets. It also passes close to eight of the surviving forty-one City churches. The Walk is1+3⁄4 miles (2.8 km) long and is marked by twenty-one panels which can be followed in either direction. Completion of the Walk will take between one and two hours. Wheelchairs can reach most individual sites although access is difficult at some points'. Transcript of tile 5 'For nearly fifteen hundred years the physical growth of theCity of London was limited by its defensive wall. The first Wall was built by theRomans c. AD 200, one hundred and fifty years after the foundation of Londinium. It stretched for 2 miles (3.2 km), incorporating a pre-existing fort. In the 4th century, the Romans strengthened the defences with towers on the eastern section of the wall. The Roman Wall formed the foundation of the later City Wall. During theSaxon period the Wall decayed but successive medieval and Tudor rebuildings and repairs restored it as a defensive wall. With the exception of a medieval realignment in theBlackfriars' area, the Wall was no longer necessary for defence. Much of it was demolished in the 18th and 19th centuries and where sections survived they became buried under shops and warehouses. During the 20th century, several sections have been revealed by excavations and preserved'. | Open to the public. |
| Tower Hill gardens | 51°30′35.6″N0°04′34.5″W / 51.509889°N 0.076250°W /51.509889; -0.076250 |  | Transcript of the London Wall Walk plaque 2 Transcript of tile 1 'The London Wall Walk follows the line of the City Wall from the Tower of London to the Museum of London. The Walk is1+3⁄4 miles (2.8 km) long and is marked by twenty-one panels which can be followed in either direction. The City Wall was built by the Romans c AD 200. During the Saxon period it fell into decay. From the 12th to 17th centuries large sections of the Roman Wall and gates were repaired or rebuilt. From the 17th century, as London expanded rapidly in size, the Wall was no longer necessary for defence. During the 18th century demolition of parts of the Wall began, and by the 19th century, most of the Wall had disappeared. Only recently have several sections again become visible. Transcript of tile 4 'This impressive section of wall still stands to a height of 35 feet (11 m). The Roman work survives to the level of the sentry walk,14+1⁄2 feet (4.4 m) high, with medieval stonework above. The Wall was constructed with coursed blocks of ragstone which sandwiched a rubble and mortar core. Layers of flat red tiles were used at intervals to give extra strength and stability. Complete with its battlements the Roman Wall would have been about 20 feet (6.1 m) high. Outside the Wall was a defensive ditch. To the north is the site of one of the towers added to the outside of the wall in the 4th century. Stone recovered from its foundations in 1852 and 1935 included part of the memorial inscription from the tomb of Julius Classicianus. the Roman Provincial Procurator (financial administrator) in AD 61. In the medieval period, the defences were repaired and heightened. The stonework was more irregular with a sentry walk only 3 feet (0.91 m) wide. To the west was the site of the Tower Hill scaffold where many famous prisoners were publicly beheaded, the last in 1747'. | Open to the public. Note: plaques 3–4 no longer exist in their original spaces as outlined by the maps on the tile within the picture. |
| Tower Hill gardens | 51°30′35.4″N0°04′34.0″W / 51.509833°N 0.076111°W /51.509833; -0.076111 |  | Transcript of the English Heritage plaque 'London Wall This is one of the most impressive surviving sections of London's former city wall. The lower part, with its characteristic tile bonding courses, was built by theRomans around 200 AD. Its purpose may have been as much to control the passage of good and people as for defence. Against its inner face on this side, the wall was reinforced by a substantial earth rampart. Outside was a wide ditch. In the far right hand corner, evidence of an internal turret was found in excavation. This probably contained a staircase giving access to the sentry walk. Complete with its battlements, the Roman wall would have been about 6.4 metres high. During themedieval period, the wall was repaired and heightened. From the 17th century, it fell into disuse and parts were demolished. Several sections, including this one, were preserved by being incorporated into later buildings. For your safety Please take care as historic sites can be hazardous. Children should be kept under close control. Wilful damage to the monument is an offence. Unauthorised use ofMetal detectors is prohibited. For more information on this site. and how to joinEnglish Heritage, please contact 0171 973 3479 | Open to the public. |
| Aldgate Square | 51°30′49.2″N0°04′37.1″W / 51.513667°N 0.076972°W /51.513667; -0.076972 |  | Transcript of the London Wall Walk plaque 5 Transcript of tile 1 'The London Wall Walk follows the line of the City Wall from the Tower of London to the Museum of London. The Walk is1+3⁄4 miles (2.8 km) long and is marked by twenty-one panels which can be followed in either direction. The City Wall was built by the Romans c AD 200. During the Saxon period it fell into decay. From the 12th to 17th centuries large sections of the Roman Wall and gates were repaired or rebuilt. From the 17th century, as London expanded rapidly in size, the Wall was no longer necessary for defence. During the 18th century demolition of parts of the Wall began, and by the 19th century most of the Wall had disappeared. Only recently have several sections again become visible'. Transcript of tile 4 'Aldgate, City Gate When the Roman City Wall was built (c AD 200) a stone gate perhaps already spanned the Roman road linking London (Londinium) with Colchester (Camulodunum). The gate probably had twin entrances flanked by guard towers. Outside the gate a large cemetery developed to the south of the road. In the later 4th century the gate may have been rebuilt to provide a platform for catapults. The Roman gate apparently survived until the medieval period (called Alegate or Algate) when it was rebuilt in 1108–47, and again in 1215. Its continued importance was assured by the building of the great Priory of Holy Trinity just inside the gate. The medieval gate had a single entrance flanked by two large semi-circular towers. It was during this period that Aldgate had lived in rooms over the gate from 1374 while a customs official in the port of London. Aldgate was completely rebuilt in 1607-9 but was finally pulled down in 1761 to improve traffic access'. | Open to the public. Note: plaque 6 no longer exists in its original space as outlined by the maps on the tile within the picture. |
| Bevis Marks | 51°30′53.3″N0°04′44.3″W / 51.514806°N 0.078972°W /51.514806; -0.078972 |  | Transcript of the London Wall Walk plaque 7 Transcript of tile 1 'The London Wall Walk follows the line of the City Wall from the Tower of London to the Museum of London. The Walk is1+3⁄4 miles (2.8 km) long and is marked by twenty-one panels which can be followed in either direction. The City Wall was built by the Romans c AD 200. During the Saxon period it fell into decay. From the 12th to 17th centuries large sections of the Roman Wall and gates were repaired or rebuilt. From the 17th century, as London expanded rapidly in size, the Wall was no longer necessary for defence. During the 18th century demolition of parts of the Wall began, and by the 19th century most of the Wall had disappeared. Only recently have several sections again become visible'. Transcript of tile 4 'Bevis Marks, City Wall The engraving shows the area around Bevis Marks as it appeared (c 1560–70) in the reign of Elizabeth I. The City Wall, Aldgate, four towers and the City ditch can be clearly seen. Although the Wall has now disappeared in this area many of the streets still survive today. Outside the Wall were wooden tenter frames used for stretching newly woven cloth (the origin of the phrase 'to be on tenter hooks'). A gun foundry can also be seen near St Botolph's Church at the end of Houndsditch. Beyond were open fields (Spital Fields) stretching towards the villages of Shoreditch and Whitechapel. The historian John Stow, writing c 1580, recorded the many unsuccessful attempts to prevent the City ditch becoming a dumping ground for rubbish including the dead dogs, which gave Houndsditch its name. In the 17th century the ditch was finally filled in and the area used for gardens'. | Open to the public. Note: plaques 8–10 no longer exist in their original spaces as outlined by the maps on the tile within the picture. |
| Moorgate |   | Transcript of the London Wall Walk plaque 11 Transcript of tile 1 'The London Wall Walk follows the line of the City Wall from the Tower of London to the Museum of London. The Walk is1+3⁄4 miles (2.8 km) long and is marked by twenty-one panels which can be followed in either direction. The City Wall was built by the Romans c AD 200. During the Saxon period it fell into decay. From the 12th to 17th centuries large sections of the Roman Wall and gates were repaired or rebuilt. From the 17th century, as London expanded rapidly in size, the Wall was no longer necessary for defence. During the 18th century demolition of parts of the Wall began, and by the 19th century most of the Wall had disappeared. Only recently have several sections again become visible. Tile 5 'Mooregate, Cite Gate. Moorgate was the only gate whose name described its location as it gave access to the moor or marsh which stretched along the northern side of the city. In the early Roman period the area was well-drained by the Walbrook stream by the construction of the City Wall (c AD 200) impeded the natural drainage and caused the formation of a large marsh outside the Wall. There was no Roman gate here but in the Middle Ages a small gate was built. In 1415 it was totally rebuilt by the Mayor Thomas Falconer and the engraving shows it after substantial rebuilding as a single gate, flanked by towers. Throughout the 16th century attempts were made to drain the marsh and within a hundred years the whole area had been laid out with walks and avenues of trees. In 1672 Moorgate was rebuilt as an imposing ceremonial entrance. This was demolished to improve traffic access in 1761. The City Wall to the east became incorporated into the Bethlehem Hospital (Bedlam) for the insane. This long stretch of the Wall was finally demolished in 1817. | Open to the public. Note: plaques 12 no longer exists in its original space as outlined by the maps on the tile within the picture. | |
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  | Open to the public. | |||
 | Open to the public. Note: plaques 16–17 no longer exist in their original spaces as outlined by the maps on the tile within the picture. | |||
| London Wall underground car park | 51°31′03.6″N0°05′43.4″W / 51.517667°N 0.095389°W /51.517667; -0.095389 |  | Transcript of the London Wall Walk plaque 18 Transcript of tile 1 'The London Wall Walk follows the line of the City Wall from the Tower of London to the Museum of London. The Walk is1+3⁄4 miles (2.8 km) long and is marked by twenty-one panels which can be followed in either direction. The City Wall was built by the Romans c AD 200. During the Saxon period it fell into decay. From the 12th to 17th centuries large sections of the Roman Wall and gates were repaired or rebuilt. From the 17th century, as London expanded rapidly in size, the Wall was no longer necessary for defence. During the 18th century demolition of parts of the Wall began, and by the 19th century most of the Wall had disappeared. Only recently have several sections again become visible'. Transcript of tile 4 'Prior to the construction of the western section of the road London Wall in 1959, excavations revealed the west gate of the Roman fort, built c AD 120. It had twin entrance ways flanked on either side by square towers.Only the northern tower can now be seen. It provided a guardroom and access to the sentry walk along the Wall. Large blocks of sandstone formed the base, some weighing over half a ton (500 kg). The remaining masonry consisted of ragstone brought from Kent. The guardroom opened on to a gravel road, spanning the gates. Each passage was wide enough for a cart and had a pair of heavy wooden doors. Running northwards from the gate-tower is the fort wall, 4 feet (1.2 m) thick with the internal thickening added when the fort was incorporated into the Roman city defences c AD 200. The gate was eventually blocked, probably in the troubled years of the later 4th century. By the medieval period the site of the gate had been completely forgotten'. | Open to the public. Note: plaques 19–20 no longer exist in their original spaces as outlined by the maps on the tile within the picture. |
 | Open to the public. | |||
| Aldergate Street – upon the back walls of Alder Castle House, 10 Noble St, London EC2V 7JU | 51°31′00.5″N0°05′48.6″W / 51.516806°N 0.096833°W /51.516806; -0.096833 |  | Open to public. |
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Media from Commons
Travel guides from Wikivoyage
Data from Wikidata | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org. |
Gates and bars of theCity of London | |||
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 | Former gates ofLondon Wall andCity bars Listed clockwise from the West
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