London’s Top 10 : Moments in London’s History – Top 10 Cultural Highlights

1. AD 43: Roman Invasion

   When
   the Romans arrived in Britain, they built a bridge across the Thames
   from Southwark and encircled Londinium with a wall, part of which is
   still visible in the City. Their forum was in Cornhill and their amphitheatre lies beneath the Guildhall.

2. 1066: Norman Conquest

   The
   next successful invasion of Britain came from northern France. It was
   led by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, who was crowned King of
   England in the newly completed Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066.

3. 1240: First Parliament

   The
   first parliament sat in Westminster and became a seat of government
   separate from the mercantile City, which continued to expand on the
   former Roman site.

4. 1534: The Reformation

   A
   quarrel between Henry VIII and Pope Clement VII over the king’s divorce
   led to Henry breaking with Rome and declaring himself head of the
   church in England. Today, the sovereign remains the head of the Church
   of England.

5. 1649: Charles I Executed

   Charles
   I’s belief in the divine right of kings led to civil war. The royalist
   cause was lost and the king was beheaded in 1649. After 11 years of
   Puritanism, his son Charles II returned to the throne to preside over
   the Restoration.

6. 1666: Great Fire of London

   Much
   of the city, including the medieval St Paul’s and 87 parish churches,
   were destroyed in the fire, which raged for five days. Afterwards Sir
   Christopher Wren replanned the entire city, including the cathedral .

7. 1863: First Underground

   Originally
   designed to link the main London railway termini, the Metropolitan Line
   was the world’s first underground railway. When it opened, the
   carriages were little more than trucks.

   
   

   
   
   

8. 1875: Embankments Built

   Built
   on either side of the river, the Embankments were among the great
   engineering works of the Victorians. They were designed by Sir Joseph
   Bazalgette to contain a vast new sewage system to take waste to pumping
   stations outside London.

   
   

   
   
   

9. 1940–41: The Blitz

   Between
   September 1940 and May 1941, German air raids left 30,000 Londoners
   dead. The bombers destroyed much of the Docks, the East End and the
   City. The House of Commons, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London
   were all hit. Many Londoners sought shelter in Underground stations at
   night.

   
   

   
   
   

   Bomb damage near St Paul’s Cathedral

10. 1992: Docklands Development

    Docks
    that were once hives of activity began to be deserted in the 1960s as
    trade moved to a modern container port at Tilbury. In the 1980s,
    regeneration of the area began, notably around the West India Dock,
    where Canary Wharf was built in 1992. A new City airport was created on
    the site of the former Royal docks.

    
    

    
    
    

Top 10 Cultural Highlights