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• In brief – London in the late-Middle Ages | The History of London

  By the 14 th century London was England’s leading commercial centre, and Westminster the royal and political capital. The population was decimated by the Black Death, which brought about fundamental c...

• Before the Romans | The History of London

  The first Roman invasion of Britain was by Julius Caesar. At that time the south-east of England was occupied by various tribes that had arrived earlier from Continental Europe. London sits in the Tha...

• The early history of East London | The History of London

  During the Middle Ages what we now call the East End of London was entirely rural, with a small scattering of cottages and several mansions. The largest part consisted of the Manor of Stepney, held by...

• In brief – Early-20th century London | The History of London

  In the first half of the 20 th century London was still expanding outwards, with new suburbs for the middle-classes. In a period of just twenty years it doubled in size. The London County Council crea...

• In Brief – Roman London | The History of London

  London was founded by the Romans at the point where they could easily construct a bridge over the River Thames. The earliest settlement lasted only a few years but thereafter grew into a major town an...

• The rise and fall of the first Roman town of Londinium | The History of London

  The Roman town began as a small settlement to protect and maintain the bridge over the Thames. It soon grew into a busy town, but it was to last just 13 years before being destroyed in a major rebelli...