London Bridge
Preserved but no longer current.
There was a bridge over the Thames in the 10th century. There was a new one of wood in 1014. The stone bridge (1176- 1209) was by Peter of Colechurch. The present London Bridge, constructed of granite, was begun in 1824, and finished in seven years. It was built some 50 yards west of the old bridge, which started from Fish Street Hill. It was designed by Sir John Rennie, and cost £1,458,000.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “London Bridge” mean?
There was a bridge over the Thames in the 10th century. There was a new one of wood in 1014. The stone bridge (1176- 1209) was by Peter of Colechurch. The present London Bridge, constructed of granite, was begun in 1824, and finished in seven years. It was built some 50 yards west of the old bridge, which started from Fish Street Hill. It was designed by Sir John Rennie, and cost £1,458,000.
Is “London Bridge” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.