By Tim Lambert
Roman London
50
The Romans found a town at London
61
Boudica, a Celtic queen burns London
c. 180
Stone walls are built around London
c. 250
London is a flourishing town with a population of around 45,000
407
The Roman army leaves Britain
c.460
London is abandoned
Saxon London
c. 600
The Saxons create a new town at Covent Garden
604
A Bishop of London is appointed
c. 650
Saxon London is a flourishing town with a population of around 10,000. It also has a mint.
842
The Danes loot London
851
The Danes burn London
994
The Danes attack London but they are beaten off
1065
Westminster Abbey is consecrated
Medieval London
1066
William I is crowned king of England at Westminster
1078-1100
A stone tower is built to guard London
1096
The first Jews arrive in London
1176
A stone bridge across the Thames replaces a wooden one
1189
About 30 Jews are killed in London
1264
About 500 Jews are killed in London
1348
The population of London is about 50,000
The Tower of London
1348-49
The Black Death strikes
Renaissance London
1550
The population of London is about 120,000
1571
The Royal Exchange is built
1600
The population of London is about 250,000
1603
Plague strikes London
1633
Plague strikes again
1635
Hyde Park is opened to the public
1665
Plague strikes London for the last time
1666
The Great Fire of London destroys about 13,200 houses
1685
Oil lamps are used to light the streets of London
1699
Billingsgate is made a fish market
18th Century London
1700
The population of London is about 600,000
1703
Buckingham Palace is built
1711
St Pauls Cathedral is completed
1720
Westminster Hospital is founded
1724
Guys Hospital is founded
1734
The Bank of England moves to Threadneedle Street
1740
London hospital is founded
1749
Westminster Bridge is built
1757
Houses on London Bridge are demolished
1760-66
London town walls are demolished
1761
A Board of Commissioners is formed to pave and clean the streets of London
1770
Blackfriars Bridge is built
19th Century London
1801
London has a population of about 950,000. During the 19th century, the population booms, and many villages are ‘swallowed up’ and become areas of the city.
1807
Gas is used to light Pall Mall
1831
Cholera strikes London
1837
Euston Station is built
1839
Trafalgar Square is created
1848-49
Kings Cross Station is built
1866
Cholera strikes London again but in the late 19th century public health greatly improves
1871
The Albert Hall is built
1881
The Natural History Museum is founded
20th Century London
1903
The first council houses in London are built
1923
Wembley Stadium is built
1933
Chiswick Bridge is built
1940-41
Bombs kill about 20,000 people in London
1944
About 3,000 people in London are killed by missiles
1945
Waterloo Bridge is built
1951
The Royal Festival Hall is built
1950s
West Indian Immigrants arrive in London
The 1960s, 1970s
The decline of London docks
1966
Post Office Tower is opened to the public
21st Century London
2000
The London Eye is opened to the public
London Eye
2012
The Shard is unveiled