How War has shaped London’s Identity

Britain is blessed to have not been occupied in war since the Norman Conquest of 1066. However, scars remain of the sacrifices and efforts made through centuries of conflict. London stands as a witness to both imperialism and the atrocities of two world wars. The marks left by these remain in architecture and art, shaping our own identities of what values define Britain and all it stands for both good and bad.

Roman London

London owes it’s establishment to Londinium, the Roman capital. The original city wall surrounds this settlement, with the Barbican estate named after the castle-style gate which stood on the site. Remains of the wall can be found near the Museum of London and the modern address ‘London Wall’. Arguably the biggest impact of the Roman invasion on London was its foundation as capital of the South East of England.

The Norman Conquest on London

William the Conqueror built the Tower of London among other fortifications along the Thames. However, perhaps the most significant Norman contribution to London is the independence of the City by charter.

The City occupies a similar protected status to the Vatican in Rome. You will see different policies and, most visibly, the independent police force as examples of this freedom, as well as the Freedom of the City itself.

The Napoleonic Wars on London

Trafalgar Square. Waterloo Station. A vast amount of our culture has been influenced by the mystique of the Napoleonic Wars. The original Waterloo bridge was actually a toll-bridge intended to increase funds for the struggling government. The dedication to Waterloo made a fitting way of justifying this as a controversial use of public funds with a grand opening following, although most people avoided the charge by crossing at Blackfriars. It was this bridge that thus named the station which we use to describe that whole part of the South Bank.

Apsley House was the Duke of Wellington’s residence. It’s original address was ‘1, London’ and now forms an English Heritage property with many artefacts.

The eagles of Napoleon’s Grand Army were given to the Prince Regent in the East India Club in St James’ Square. This room is now commemorated as the Waterloo Room.

The monuments of this time are all around us and below us, where Nelson lies in the crypt beneath the dome of St Pauls.

The First World War

The First World War certainly began the move from Nationalistic propaganda pieces to commemorative monuments. The common soldier is commemorated in examples like the Cenotaph rather than glorious generals. Aside from the personal losses at this time, London was prey to early Zeppelin bombing in 1915. The minor destruction began in Stoke Newington working its way South through Dalston to Hoxton and Shoreditch. However, this was the first time an invader was able to kill six civilians in their own unoccupied city.

The Second World War

The Blitz was notoriously brutal for London. While historians continue to debate on which side led the more inhumane attack, the city is littered with remnants of the Luftwaffe’s campaign. In central London near the City it baffles the mind to see high rise concrete estates amidst centuries old streets. This is often understood as a bombsite redeveloped in the 1950s with the functional aesthetic of the time. The Barbican is a prime example of an area redeveloped in the fifties and sixties that was obliterated by bombing.

Bomb damage is visible on historic buildings such as St Pauls and the entrance to the V&A. These are frequent reminders of just how vulnerable London was, making today’s issues seem trivial in comparison.

IRA Attacks

The Ring of Steel around the City restricts vehicles and creates a solid system of checks and surveillance ever since the Bishopsgate Bomb in 1992. These are the cameras and police booth checkpoints you see around the City.

It is hard to imagine such atrocities taking place so little time ago. The Baltic Exchange trading floor used in the 1992 film ‘Howards End’ from E.M. Forster’s novel was destroyed by this attack the same year. The Gherkin now stands on this site.

Equally we are all too aware of recent bomb-resistant stations and public buildings, most obviously a lack of bins. We have the reassurance that London and it’s people have faced many severe threats over centuries.

These continue to inform our endurance and prevention. Our identities have been shaped by both settlers and invaders, but it remains clear that the Londoner is and will continue to be a constant survivor of thousands of years.

 

Stewart Vickers @vickhellfire

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