Studio: international art (83.1922)

OLD LONDON BRIDGE

from 3 to 4 feet wide, with a depth of
io inches, and with a flush joint at back
packed up to the earlier work. 0 0

The bridge erected by Peter of Cole-
church was widened in 1759 by Labelye
and Dance (the City Surveyor), who
removed the old houses then standing
upon it and constructed what was
practically a new bridge on either
side of the old one. E. W. Cooke, R.A.,
published, in 1833, a series of views
showing the demolition of this structure
and the building of the present one. In
one view three parallel arches are shown,
and over these a new roadway flanked
by stone balustrading was constructed.

A photograph of the arch now dis-
covered shows the western face of the
original bridge against which the western
extension abutted. Another photograph

shows the addition on the east side. It
will be noted there is a flat projecting
course at a level of 2 feet 8 inches above
the springing, which is continued on the
west side beyond the central portion of
the arch, and 5 feet 6 inches below this
is a chamfered plinth, with the piles
4 feet lower. This work is in Portland
stone and has a tooled face different in
character from the central portion. A
sketch made by Cooke, in 1831, shows the
eastern face of this addition springing
from the extreme end of the before-
mentioned projecting course beyond a
mooring ring. It is interesting to note
that this mooring ring has been found, still
in position, and also another ring below
the plinth. 00000
Many views of the old bridge are in
existence. In the centre was a chapel

“DILAPIDATIONS of the long entry
ARCH OF OLD LONDON BRIDGE IN 1832
EXHIBITING A PORTION OF THE ORIGINAL
STRUCTURE AND THE VARIOUS ADDITIONS
ON EITHER SIDE.” FROM AN ETCHED
DRAWING BY E. W. COOKE, R.A.

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