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Roadway on London Bridge
This drawing by Pete Urmston illustrates what the roadway of London Bridge might have looked like in 1600. Positioned in the center of the image is what is known as a ‘cross-building,’ which were connecting structures built between houses on either side of the street. References to such structures were recorded as early as the mid 14th century, although they were called by a different name. In the rent records of 1358, the structure used to connect two buildings over the roadway was known as a ‘hautpas’ or high place. These structures were used to provide additional support for the bridge’s buildings, which were frequently subjected to high winds. However, the cross-buildings also presented several disadvantages by obstructing sunlight and, at a height of around 10 feet, making the roadway appear more congested. Despite these drawbacks, real estate on the bridge remained extremely popular. Those who ran the street-level shops located on the bridge also lived on the upper floors of the buildings. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the dominant trades of the bridge were haberdashers, glovers, cutlers (who made or sold edged weapons and tools), bowyers (bow makers), and fletchers (arrow makers). Sellers, more often than manufacturers, were willing to pay the high rents on London Bridge in order to take advantage of access to one of the most prominent shopping areas in the city. Based on the descriptions of leases granted during the medieval period, commerce on London Bridge was geared more towards specialty goods rather than daily purchases although there was a notable lack of such luxury crafts as goldsmiths and jewelers.
A Cutaway View of London Bridge, c. 1590
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.