During the Medieval Times, there
was a lot of war and controversy going on. This led to the building of the
London Wall. The London Wall did not fall until the 18th century
however, pieces are still up to this day. The wall was made from ragstone and
defined the shape of the London we know today. The advantages of the wall
included protection from people who lived outside the wall, a sense of safety
for the people who lived within the confines of the city. However, the wall had
disadvantages as well. As population increased people started to live closer
and closer together which caused disease to spread. As well as a great fire
which decimated the inside of the city. The fire destroyed almost all of London
and left only 75 acres untouched.
The image of Londinum above shows
the general outline of what London looks like today. As you can see there were
many cemetery’s outside the wall and 2 very small ones inside the wall.
Moreover, the Governors Palace was next to the River Thames and close to the
Thames bridge. The Thames River acted as a way to transport people by foot and
horse. While the Wharfs (Right of the Bridge) were the docks for people to come
in and trade.
A major downside of the London wall
was the fact that it limited the amount of space people had to build new homes.
As time went on more and more people grew up inside the wall. Looking back at
the image you are able to tell that there was not a vast amount of space
available for people to build new houses. This meant the houses people lived in
were closer and closer. Due to the houses being so close to one another it
allowed for a fire to spread. On the bright side, the fire allowed for people
to rebuild the land. This allowed for the narrow pathways to be opened up to
larger streets and for houses to be evenly spread out.
The London Wall also had a large
positive affect on the people. The London Stone was inside of London and was
the plinth for the Palladium of Troy. The stone was sought after because it was
told that it had the ability to bring great fortune and wealth to the land.
Furthermore, when the wall was built there was an increase in women doing men’s
jobs. Some of these jobs were barbers, blacksmiths and apothecaries. Not only
did these women prove how they were equal to others but they also showed how
powerful they were. Not only did they have jobs but they also help those who
were in need. They provided food for those who could not afford it and helped
those that were not treated right by others.
Overall, the London Wall had a
devastating effect on London with the Great fire. However, it also showed how
the safety from living inside the wall allowed for the people to prosper and
for people to have a place in society.
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