The Trust
History
For centuries London’s citizens had made "pious gifts of land
and money" "to God and the Bridge". This was because the Church had
from early times encouraged the building of bridges and this
activity was so important it was perceived to be an act of piety -
a commitment to God which should be supported by the giving of
alms.
The Trust’s origins can be traced
back to 1097 when William Rufus, second son of William the
Conqueror, raised a special tax to help repair the wooden
London Bridge. In 1176, during the reign of Henry II , Peter
De Colechurch, a priest and head of the Fraternity of the
Brethren of London Bridge, began building the first stone
bridge across the River Thames. That bridge, with its 19
arches was completed 33 years later in 1209, six years before
King John signed the Magna Carta not many miles upstream.
There can be no doubt that it was well built and well
maintained as it lasted for some 600 years.
By the end of the twelfth century, the shops and houses adorning
Peter de Colechurch’s new stone London Bridge were beginning to
generate not only increased cross-river trade, but also increased
taxes, rents and bequests. A significant fund began to accumulate
and it was administered from a building on the south side of the
bridge called Bridge House.
Over the centuries the Fund prospered mightily through strong
and thrifty administration of the ever increasing property assets
both in the City and the surrounding countryside. The Bridgemasters
maximised income from a great variety of sources including, for
example: "receiving tolls on carts passing over the Bridge, tolls
from ships passing under the Bridge and fines for unlawful fishing
from the Bridge".
In relatively recent years the charity built Blackfriars Bridge
and purchased Southwark Bridge and, just over a century ago,
constructed Tower Bridge. In February 2002, the Trust took over the
ownership and maintenance of the new pedestrian-only Millennium
Bridge, which spans the Thames between St Paul's and Bankside.
The Trustee of the Fund, that is
the City of London, was only permitted to utilise the
income of the Fund for expenditure on the Bridges. It is
interesting to note that the Fund is solely responsible for
the five City Bridges. There is no financial support from the
Government or any other fund. If one of the bridges happened
to collapse, the charity would have to rebuild it out of its
own resources. After setting aside annual provision for such a
purpose, a Cy Prés scheme evolved. This was a Scheme allowing
the objects of the Fund to be widened to enable any surplus
monies to be applied to other charitable purposes benefiting
Greater London. The Trust started making grants in September
1995.
The bridge mark
This mark has been the identifying
emblem for the Bridge House Estates Trust for many centuries.
It is likely that the mark as we know it today was designed by
a famous seventeenth century surveyor, William Leybourn, who
is thought to have adapted a similar mark drawn against plots
owned by Bridge House Estates on an earlier plan of St
George's Fields.
Further information
If you would like to learn more about the history of London
Bridge, there is a book by Patricia Pierce entitled 'Old London
Bridge'. It costs £14.99 (hardback) or £7.99 (paperback), is
published by Headline and can be purchased from
www.museumoflondon.org.uk
and most high street and online booksellers. The following synopsis
was taken from Amazon.co.uk:
The story of Old London Bridge is a turbulent and varied one,
spanning over 600 years from 1176 to 1832. In every period, the
bridge was the focal point for war and conflict, from early Viking
raids to the Civl War. In times of peace, the bridge was thriving
commercial centre and an arena for many pleasures including
spectacular national ceremonies, races, pageants, jousts and
regattas. Thousands lived and died in the "town on the bridge", a
bustling community of merchants, craftsmen, thieves and rogues.
Many stories are intertwined with that of Old London Bridge and the
author weaves them together in this social history of London. She
describes each stage in the bridge's history in a detailed
narrative and peppered with colourful characters - monarchs and
traitors, priests and pilgrims, artists and writers.
There is a website at www.oldlondonbridge.com
which, as well as the history of the bridge, contains information
about the proposed London Bridge Museum.
There is a fascinating scale model of the medieval Old London
Bridge in the new Museum in Docklands. Visit their website at
www.museumindocklands.org.uk
for more information.