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of timber raised to support the upper
works, and the whole track of ruins was
covered with rows of strong beams placed
close together; these were gravelled over
to a considerable depth; and a strong
wooden fence, on each side, raised about
six feet high, with places formed for foot
passengers to stand in at proper distances,
to secure themselves from being hurt by
the carriages.
This great work was no sooner finish-
ed with such amazing expedition, than
preparations were made for a new tempo-
rary bridge, which was soon after begun,
and in a short time was opened.
The great loss the city had suffered by
the burning of the temporary bridge, in-
duced the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and
Common Council, to apply to Parliament
for relief; when that body, rendering the
repairing and the beautifying of London
bridge a national concern, an act was
passed the same year for granting the city
15,000l. towards the carrying on of that
work; upon which two toll booths that
had been erected for receiving the toll
granted by a former act, were immediately
taken down, and all horses and carriages
suffered to go toll free.
To prevent posterity being deceived by
the pompous elogiums bestowed on this
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bridge, which has been stiled The wonder
of the world, The bridge of the world, and
The bridge of wonders, the following
faithful description of it, we apprehend,
will not be improper. And indeed this is
the more necessary, as no accurate de-
scription of this bridge has ever yet been
published. The Thames in this part is
915 feet broad, and that is the length of
the bridge, which was forty-three feet
seven inches in height. The street, which
before the houses fell to decay, consisted
of handsome lofty edifices, pretty regu-
larly built; it was twenty feet broad, and
the houses on each side generally 26½
feet deep. Across the middle of the
street ran several lofty arches extending
from side to side, the bottom part of
each arch terminating at the first story,
and the upper part reaching near the top
of the buildings, the work over the arches
extending in a strait line from side to side.
These arches were designed to prevent the
houses giving way. They were there-
fore formed of strong timbers bolted into
the timbers of the houses on each side,
and being covered with laths and plaister,
appeared as if built with stone; and
in some of them a closet, or little room,
was formed in the cavities next the houses,
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