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he supposed to be Watling street; whence
London Stone appears to have been nearly
in the center of the ancient city before it
was destroyed by Boadicea, and when it
was not encompassed with walls. Curio-
sities of London and Westminster. Pa-
rentalia.
LONDON street, 1. A spacious, handsome,
and well-built street, on the south side of
Fenchurch street. 2. Mill street, Ro-
therhith. 3. Rose lane, Ratcliff.
LONDON WALL, the wall which formerly
surrounded the city of London, as a de-
fence against the attacks of an enemy.
It was strengthened with lofty towers,
and had originally only four gates, tho'
the making of new roads has increased
the number to seven, which are now
standing, viz. Aldgate, Bishopsgate, Moor-
gate, Cripplegate, Aldersgate, Newgate,
and Ludgate. See each of these described
in their proper places.
This wall, which is by some supposed
to have been built by Constantine the
Great, and by others by his mother He-
lena, was probably not erected till the
time of Valentinian I. about the year
368. Britain had been reduced to very
great misery, by the joint attacks of the
Scots, Picts, Attacots, Saxons, and Franks;
and the Romans, till the arrival of Theo-
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dosius the Elder, were defeated in several
engagements: but that General having
routed some parties of the enemy, entered
the city of London in triumph. And we are
told by Am. Marcel. lib. 27. that Theo-
dosius, by repairing some cities and castles,
and fortifying others, left every thing in
so good a situation, that peace was pre-
served in Britain till the departure of the
Romans in the reign of the Emperor
Honorius.
Dr. Woodward, in the year 1707, had
an opportunity of narrowly observing its
fabrick and composition, by a part of the
wall near Bishopsgate being pulled down,
to make way for new buildings; and this
learned antiquary observes, that " From
" the foundation, which lay eight feet
" below the present surface, quite up to
" the top of the oldest part, which was
" in all near ten feet, it was compiled al-
" ternately of layers of broad flat bricks
" and rag-stones. The bricks lay in
" double ranges, and each brick being
" but one inch and three tenths in thick-
" ness, the whole layer, with the mortar,
" exceeded not three inches. The layers
" of stone were not two feet thick of our
" measure. It is probable they were in-
" tended for two of the Roman, their
" rule being somewhat shorter than ours.
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