Concise London TimeLapse

A TIMELINE OF LONDON HISTORY

By Tim Lambert

50 The Romans found a town at London

61 Boudica, a Celtic queen burns London

c. 180 Stone walls are built around London

c. 250 London is a flourishing town with a population of around 45,000

407 The Roman army leaves Britain

c.460 London is abandoned

c. 600 The Saxons create a new town at Covent Garden

604 A Bishop of London is appointed

c. 650 Saxon London is a flourishing town with a population of around 10,000. It also has a mint.

842 The Danes loot London

851 The Danes burn London

994 The Danes attack London but they are beaten off

1065 Westminster Abbey is consecrated

1066 William I is crowned king of England at Westminster

1078-1100 A stone tower is built to guard London

1096 The first Jews arrive in London

1176 A stone bridge across the Thames replaces a wooden one

1189 About 30 Jews are killed in London

1264 About 500 Jews are killed in London

1348 The population of London is about 50,000

Tower

The Tower of London

1348-49 The Black Death strikes

1550 The population of London is about 120,000

1571 The Royal Exchange is built

1600 The population of London is about 250,000

1603 Plague strikes London

1633 Plague strikes again

1635 Hyde Park is opened to the public

1665 Plague strikes London for the last time

1666 The Great Fire of London destroys about 13,200 houses

1685 Oil lamps are used to light the streets of London

1699 Billingsgate is made a fish market

1700 The population of London is about 600,000

1703 Buckingham Palace is built

1711 St Paul’s Cathedral is completed

1720 Westminster Hospital is founded

1724 Guys Hospital is founded

1734 The Bank of England moves to Threadneedle Street

1740 London hospital is founded

1749 Westminster Bridge is built

1757 Houses on London Bridge are demolished

1760-66 London town walls are demolished

1761 A Board of Commissioners is formed to pave and clean the streets of London

1770 Blackfriars Bridge is built

1801 London has a population of about 950,000. During the 19th century the population booms and many villages are 'swallowed up' and become areas of the city.

1807 Gas is used to light Pall Mall

1831 Cholera strikes London

1837 Euston Station is built

1839 Trafalgar Square is created

1848-49 Kings Cross Station is built

1866 Cholera strikes London again but in the late 19th century public health greatly improves

1871 The Albert Hall is built

1881 The Natural History Museum is founded

1903 The first council houses in London are built

1923 Wembley Stadium is built

1933 Chiswick Bridge is built

1940-41 Bombs kill about 20,000 people in London

1944 About 3,000 people in London are killed by missiles

1945 Waterloo Bridge is built

1951 The Royal Festival Hall is built

1950s West Indian Immigrants arrive in London

1960s, 1970s Decline of London docks

1966 Post Office Tower is opened to the public

2000 The London Eye is opened to the public

londoneye

London Eye

2012 The Shard is unveiled