Charles Forman to Talk About the History of London's Bridges
Lecture hosted by The Arts Society South West London
Aerial view of London Bridges upstream from Tower Bridge to Westminster . Picture: Wikimedia
The next meeting hosted by The Arts Society South West London will feature a talk by Charles Forman titled ‘London Bridged – 3,500 years of crossing the Thames’.
People were bridging the Thames in the Bronze Age, 1,500 years before London Bridge was constructed by the Romans. In the 1,700 year wait for the next bridge, other crossings relied on watermen and horse ferries as traffic jammed the original one. The last 200 years have seen more than 50 new crossings over, and under, the river. Each has changed the city’s genetic code. The lecture explores the way we have connected across the Thames and what it says about the culture of the capital through time.
Charles Forman is a London tour guide and lecturer, with a special interest in the social, architectural and artistic history of London. His talks focus on the forces that have shaped and changed the metropolis and the artistic and cultural heritage that it has left. During a four decade long career in housing (including the run-up to the 2012 Olympics) he has gained valuable insights into the development of the capital.
The talk takes place on Monday 12 February at 8pm at Dryburgh Hall on Dryburgh Road next to the Putney Leisure Centre.
A model of an earlier London Bridge
It is also available to watch on zoom and you can find details details of how to register on the society’s web site.
If you have never attended an Arts Society lecture before you are urged to join and find out about your local Arts Society. Visit the society’s website for further details.
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January 12, 2024