A Childhood Game Come To Life by deecat
The photograph of my daughter Jill on London Bridge brings back great memories of my visit to London. As a child, one of my favorite games was to play "London Bridges Falling Down", and learning the history of this bridge certainly explains that childhood rhyme.
We ambled out onto London Bridge for a view of activities on the River Thames. The first bridge on this approximate site was made of wood by the Romans, and it has been rebuilt many times after it frequently fell down.
A stone bridge was finally built in the 12th century but was replaced by another stone bridge whose piers blocked the flow of water so much that it often froze over in winter. Until the 1800s, it remained the only bridge across the river. So, finally, in the early 19th century, they built another bridge. Of course, it turned out to be too small also.
Thus, in 1970, the London Bridge was dismantled, its stones were numbered, and the stones were sold for one million pounds to Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where they re-erected it over a small lake.
Most of the bridge now lies in a disused quarry in Dorset, in the west of England! When the people who purchased it saw it reassembled, they were disappointed. They thought that they were purchasing the much more beautiful Tower Bridge!
In 1972, the new London Bridge was completed. Today, the Corporation of the City of London owns it. Finally, the London Bridge is wide, safe, and graceful; hopefully, its shakey history is over and the only "London Bridges Falling Down" are those played by small children.I remember the day I took this photo of Jill; we had such fun exploring this historic city. Since she lived there, it was great for me to have my own private tour guide!
CLICK TO READ THE SIGN BESIDE JILL
