Tuesday 21 February 2012

Places - 5

Putney

Putney has, for decades, been London's rowing centre. 

The growth of the sport was greatly encouraged by the popularity of the Oxford and Cambridge boat race, which was first rowed over the Putney to Mortlake course in 1845. Since then, the boathouses of schools and rowing clubs have spread westwards along the southbank from Putney Bridge.

Putney Bridge is world-famous as the starting point of the annual Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race.

More after the jump...


Westminster

Edward the Confessor in 1050 founded an abbey on dry land surrounded by marsh, called Thorney Island. The Saxons had already built a church here. Henry III extended the abbey and rebuilt it in Early English style, Since King Harold all the English monarchs (except Edward V and VIII) have been crowned at Westminster Abbey.

The northern end of Westminster Bridge is marked by the most famous and magnificent Victorian tower St Stephen’s Tower which houses the bell known as "Big Ben", with the Houses of Parliament next to the bridge.

The Palace of Westminster was a Royal residence until Henry VIII’s reign. Only Westminster Hall (scene of many trials, such as Guy Fawkes and Charles I) and St Stephen's Crypt escaped the great fire of 1834. Over 700 years of history were destroyed in that dramatic fire.

The fire gave Sir Charles Barry the opportunity of designing the Gothic Houses of Parliament we know today. The modern Palace of Westminster covers 8 acres and has nearly 1,100 rooms.

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames in London since 1894 and is one of the most recognised bridges in the world. Before it was built the only bridge in London was London Bridge.

The bridge consists of two towers tied together at the upper level by means of two horizontal walkways, designed to withstand the horizontal forces exerted by the suspended sections of the bridge on the landward sides of the towers.

A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would cut off access by tall-masted ships to the port facilities in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and the Tower of London


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