Download Tower Bridge: The History and Legacy of London's Most Iconic Bridge AudioBook Free
"London Bridge is slipping down,
Falling down, slipping down
London Bridge is slipping down,
My good female."
For many people, this playful child's rhyme conjures up visions of the high, majestic, two-towered bridge spanning the River Thames near the Tower of London, using its high footpath providing among the best views available of the town. The one problem is, this perspective is incorrect, for the London Bridge of modern times is neither high nor majestic. Indeed, it is not whatsoever memorable for any reason except for its capability to receive the city's commuters back and forth to work each day. Actually, the high bridge that symbolizes not simply the city but the nation is Tower Bridge, even though it is one of the oldest major bridges in London, it is scarcely the first to have been built on the Thames, or even on that area. In most cases, the first men to create a bridge on that area probably spoke Latin as their first terms. As time passed, technology improved, and with it, the type of bridge building. Lumber gave way to natural stone, which gave way to flat iron and steel. At the same, London grew on both land and normal water, with more people living in and near the city, and more folks plying the river in bigger and bigger boats. The individuals on land needed to get across the river, and the individuals on the river needed to be able to move along without too much disturbance. It was clear that metropolis needed a new bridge, but years passed before the right design for one came along.
