This drawing of London Bridge by Stephen Conlin depicts the middle section of the bridge as it may have appeared in 1590. Visible in this drawing is not only the outside structure of the bridge, but some interior scenes as well. At the bottom of the bridge are the piers and oblong-shaped starlings, which provided support for the roadway and buildings. Unlike most medieval bridges, the piers of London Bridge extended about fifteen feet from the roadway. As a result, the homes built on London Bridge rested largely on the piers, with added support provided by large hammer beams, visible between the piers in the drawing. In the center of Conlin’s drawing, the pier foundations of several homes are visible. Homes that were located directly over the piers could have cellars; another feature highlighted in this reconstruction. The rooms at street level were used as shops since the bridge was first and foremost a commercial area. ‘Solars’ or private rooms were located on the upper floors. In this drawing the buildings have four stories, which would have been common in 1590. For the majority of the medieval period, however, the buildings on the bridge would likely have had two stories.

A Cutaway View of London Bridge, c. 1590

Conlin, Stephen

c. 2019

"The story of Old London Bridge, the iconic landmark which disappeared from the capital's skyline." Country Life. 2019.

Gerhold, Dorian. London Bridge and Its Houses (Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books, 2021), Fig. 15.

London Bridge

eng Early modern (late 16th-17th century)

eng Modern Drawing/Painting

Country Life

Copyright Stephen Conlin 2019. Based on research by Dorian Gerhold. Commissioned by Country Life Magazine.

eng Streets and bridges

Lewis, Clare