Through the centuries London has evolved and grown, for the most part, independent from either royal or governmental control. This autonomy is what makes London so unique amongst capital cities. How to keep this special something; whilst at the same time allowing it to evolve as all cities must, was the subject of a recent lecture.
Sir Simon Jenkins launched into an introduction as to how London developed over the centuries. He was speaking to an audience of heritage devotees at a recent SAVE Britain’s Heritage talk: Who Guards London?
The event was held in a quintessential London church, the very name of which is steeped in history, ‘St Botolph without Bishopsgate’ - a little island of the past, slap bang in the middle of the city.
St Botolph without Bishopsgate surrounded by modern and Georgian London (images 2019 and 1802) A London enthusiast, journalist and author, Sir Simon Jenkins, a former chairman of the National Trust and a founding Trustee of SAVE Britain’s Heritage has recently published a book: ‘A Short History of London: The Creation of a World Capital’. The book is an essential read for all those who love and want to learn more about London. The journey takes you through the centuries, whilst never losing sight of the present day; pointing out the juxtaposition of the past and present. A good example of this is his observations on Borough Market “… with its Victorian passages, railway arches and cacophony of market life… Southwark as it was in Chaucer’s day, scruffy, vital, irresistible, a London seething with life… Looming over the scene … the gleaming flank of Bermondsey’s Shard.” With references to the book, he led the audience through the tumultuous and inexorable changes; interweaving historical events, up to and including the current day. It was quite a feat, but his enthusiasm and eloquence brought us with him on the journey. He started this monumental task by explaining the unique power structure of our capital city. Uniquely, the built environment in London has never been subject to the whims of any individual ruler. Through their history, all other capital cities have suffered/benefited from an individual’s grand plan. Sir Simon Jenkins gave the examples of Paris and Rome, both in their turn subjected to dictatorial powers of Napoleon III and Mussolini respectively.
Napoleon III - Paris (1853 - 1920s) Mussolini - Rome (1929 - 1945)
London has escaped this remodelling as a result of its governmental structure. Composed of three separate entities; Royal, Parliamentary and its own Governing Body, London has remained autonomous allowing it to make its own decisions. This independence has protected its buildings from the ambitions of any one powerful individual’s overarching design.
The closest it ever came to this was after the Great Fire of London in 1666 when Charles II decreed that London would be transformed into “a much more beautiful city than is at this time consumed”.
Wide boulevards and grand civic spaces: London as envisaged by Sir Christopher Wren’s plan to rebuild London. Illustration: RIBA
However, due to London’s idiosyncratic power structure of the ‘faction’, actual London residents simply rebuilt and ignored the royal/parliamentary dictate.
A Short History of London (Flyleaf) – Grosvenor Square, The Grosvenor Estate
The Royal Household never had complete control over London, however over the centuries, through various wheeling’s and dealings, they acquired great swathes of the capital. Favoured aristocracy and gentry, gifted lands from their royal patrons which have left their mark on London to the current day. Whilst the architectural styles of individuals such as Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren left an indelible mark on London, which in its turn changed the face of other iconic cities such as Bath and Liverpool.
The balance between the built environment and power continues to be played out to this day; whilst an ever-growing desire to value and preserve our heritage adds to the debate. The relationship between the need for growth and the desire to conserve the past continues to be an uneasy one. Sir Simon did not come up with any solutions to the paradox but did deepen the understanding of the audience about how and why we have arrived at the London of today. Parting on an upbeat note he concluded that our unique and complex capital city is still evolving and needs to do so to survive; with the caveat that this should always be balanced against the needs of the London we have inherited from the Londoners who came before.
St Botolph without Bishopsgate surrounded by modern and Georgian London (images 2019 and 1802) A London enthusiast, journalist and author, Sir Simon Jenkins, a former chairman of the National Trust and a founding Trustee of SAVE Britain’s Heritage has recently published a book: ‘A Short History of London: The Creation of a World Capital’. The book is an essential read for all those who love and want to learn more about London. The journey takes you through the centuries, whilst never losing sight of the present day; pointing out the juxtaposition of the past and present. A good example of this is his observations on Borough Market “… with its Victorian passages, railway arches and cacophony of market life… Southwark as it was in Chaucer’s day, scruffy, vital, irresistible, a London seething with life… Looming over the scene … the gleaming flank of Bermondsey’s Shard.” With references to the book, he led the audience through the tumultuous and inexorable changes; interweaving historical events, up to and including the current day. It was quite a feat, but his enthusiasm and eloquence brought us with him on the journey. He started this monumental task by explaining the unique power structure of our capital city. Uniquely, the built environment in London has never been subject to the whims of any individual ruler. Through their history, all other capital cities have suffered/benefited from an individual’s grand plan. Sir Simon Jenkins gave the examples of Paris and Rome, both in their turn subjected to dictatorial powers of Napoleon III and Mussolini respectively.
Napoleon III - Paris (1853 - 1920s) Mussolini - Rome (1929 - 1945)
London has escaped this remodelling as a result of its governmental structure. Composed of three separate entities; Royal, Parliamentary and its own Governing Body, London has remained autonomous allowing it to make its own decisions. This independence has protected its buildings from the ambitions of any one powerful individual’s overarching design.
The closest it ever came to this was after the Great Fire of London in 1666 when Charles II decreed that London would be transformed into “a much more beautiful city than is at this time consumed”.
Wide boulevards and grand civic spaces: London as envisaged by Sir Christopher Wren’s plan to rebuild London. Illustration: RIBA
However, due to London’s idiosyncratic power structure of the ‘faction’, actual London residents simply rebuilt and ignored the royal/parliamentary dictate.
A Short History of London (Flyleaf) – Grosvenor Square, The Grosvenor Estate
The Royal Household never had complete control over London, however over the centuries, through various wheeling’s and dealings, they acquired great swathes of the capital. Favoured aristocracy and gentry, gifted lands from their royal patrons which have left their mark on London to the current day. Whilst the architectural styles of individuals such as Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren left an indelible mark on London, which in its turn changed the face of other iconic cities such as Bath and Liverpool.
The balance between the built environment and power continues to be played out to this day; whilst an ever-growing desire to value and preserve our heritage adds to the debate. The relationship between the need for growth and the desire to conserve the past continues to be an uneasy one. Sir Simon did not come up with any solutions to the paradox but did deepen the understanding of the audience about how and why we have arrived at the London of today. Parting on an upbeat note he concluded that our unique and complex capital city is still evolving and needs to do so to survive; with the caveat that this should always be balanced against the needs of the London we have inherited from the Londoners who came before.- Date
- Category
- The Built Environment
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- heritage