Subsequent surveys showed that the bridge was sinking an inch (about 2.5 cm) every eight years, and by 1924 the east side had sunk some three to four inches (about 9 cm) lower than the west side. The bridge would have to be removed and replaced.
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Once this was completed, the old bridge was quickly dismantled and lost into the annals of history. There are, in fact, a few lasting remnants of the old London Bridge, and one of which is built into the tower of St Magnus the Marytr's Church on Lower Thames Street. The pedestrian entrance today.
As if that wasn't enough, parts of the bridge collapsed on several occasions, including 1281, 1309, 1425 and 1437. The 1281 collapse happened when expanding ice from the frozen Thames literally crushed five of the arches.
Despite many structural failures, the London Bridge never really 'fell down'. The old bridge built in 1209 lasted for 600 years. Eventually, it underwent demolition in 1831, after the new London Bridge was formed.
East Londoners have to commute longer compared to West Londoners just to get above the bridge. However, East London has always been more sparsely populated compared to West London. Therefore, it has never been necessary or a top priority to construct another bridge in the east.
To look at London Bridge now you see…. well…..a bridge with traffic on it. But go back three centuries or more and the bridge was full of houses and some illustrious tenants. During the reign of Henry VIII, the court painter Holbein lived there.
The bridge was damaged many times by fire, flood, and extreme weather, and replaced by new structures three times, in 1757, 1823, and 1973. The historical 1823 London Bridge was sold to American entrepreneur Robert McCullough and moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona, where it has become an important tourist attraction.
At 21:58 BST (UTC+1) on 3 June 2017, the van travelled south across London Bridge, and returned six minutes later, crossing over the bridge northbound, making a U-turn at the northern end and then driving southbound across the bridge. It mounted the pavement three times and hit multiple pedestrians, killing two.
Yes, absolutely. And on a pleasant day, if you cross on the east side (the left in the direction you're going) you also get a great view of Tower Bridge, the Tower, City Hall and HMS Belfast.
The modern bridge is owned and maintained by Bridge House Estates, an independent charity of medieval origin overseen by the City of London Corporation.
Spanning more than 900 feet, it was the longest inhabited bridge in Europe and was considered a wonder of the world. De Jongh's masterpiece provides a unique record of both this remarkable structure and the vernacular architecture of the city that would be engulfed in 1666 by the Great Fire of London.