The Bridges of March
Christopher Winn looks at the history of London Bridge, whose most recent incarnation opened in March 1973.
On March 17th, 1973 Elizabeth II opened the present London Bridge, the third stone bridge to span the River Thames at the point where the Romans constructed a wooden bridge and gave birth to London.
The previous London Bridge, built by Sir John Rennie, was bought by an American businessman, Robert McCulloch, as the largest antique ever sold and reconstructed at Lake Havasu, Arizona. Legend has it that McCulloch thought he was buying Tower Bridge, but this has always been denied.
The first stone London Bridge was begun in 1176, lasted over 600 years, was lined with shops and houses and in 1722 became the first place in Britain where it was made compulsory to drive on the left, after the Lord Mayor ordered bridge traffic to keep to the left to ease congestion.
Here are some other ground-breaking bridges that opened in March.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
