London Bridge is Falling Down: What prompted the creation of this rhyme?
Nursery rhymes, as you all would agree, have been an integral part of your childhood. They’ve helped you spread the wings of your imagination. All of you have been in love with these nursery rhymes—Baa Baa Black Sheep, Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars, and Mary Had a Little Lamb—among others, isn’t it? While most of them have interesting backstories, there’s perhaps no other rhyme with a darker origin story than London Bridge is Falling Down. Let’s delve into the sinister world of this nursery rhyme.
The dark origin stories
The original author still remains anonymous but it is believed that London Bridge is Falling Down was used for the first time as a passing reference in 1657. It was part of a comedy named The London Chaunticleres. However, it wasn’t until 1744 that the full rhyme was published in the collection Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book. But when did it become a universally acclaimed nursery rhyme? Well, that has to be somewhere around the 1850s. But experts believe that the origin of this rhyme can be traced back to the medieval ages. Actually, it has more than one origin stories, though none seems to have been validated by history. There are theories, nonetheless.
The order of the Vikings or Norsemen: Some experts believe that the dark backstory behind the nursery rhyme revolves around the Vikings, seafaring warriors from Scandinavia (modern-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden) who colonised major parts of Europe from the 9th to the 11th century. According to some experts, way back in 1014, the London Bridge was actually falling down, thanks to the Viking leader Olaf Haraldsson. He had allegedly ordered to pull it down on his way to invade the British Isles. Whether this incident happened or not is still up for debate though. But the idea remained and inspired a collection of Old Norse poems. Here are a few lines from one of them:
“London Bridge is broken down
Gold is won, and bright renown.”
It’s strange indeed that a poem with such innocent tune and lyrics seems to have such a ruthless story behind it!
Periodic damages: Apart for the Viking theory, there’s another school of thought regarding the inspiration behind this universally popular nursery rhyme. The damages that it has undergone from time to time may also have influenced the poem. History says that the London Bridge had suffered irreparable damage in 1281 due to continuous snowfall. Also, in the 17th century, the structure is said to have been further weakened by more than one fire incidents, including the Great Fire of London (1666).
London Bridge is Falling Down: The nursery rhyme at a glance
Who can ever forget the lines of this poem? In case you have, we are here to refresh your memory and take you through the crux of London Bridge is Falling Down. The rhyme is about the imminent collapse of the iconic structure, the London Bridge, and the possible measures that a certain 'fair lady' should take to deal with the situation. It’s as if the poet wants to ensure that when it is rebuilt, it can stand the test of time. So, he keeps suggesting the raw materials that should go into its reconstruction, starting from wood and clay to alternatives such as brick and mortar. However, he realises that these won’t last for long either. This is when he suggests iron and steel but knows that with time, these materials too will “bend and bow.” His list of suggestions for the construction of the London Bridge ends with gold and silver. But they may be robbed, apprehends the poet. So, he proposes to hire a man for keeping an eye on the bridge. But what happens if he dozes off? Well, here comes an amusing solution from the creator: He should be lured with pipes which he can smoke and stay awake through the night.
From old to modern, the history of the London Bridge
Despite many structural failures, the London Bridge never really 'fell down'. The old bridge built in 1209 lasted for 600 years. Eventually, it underwent demolition in 1831, after the new London Bridge was formed. The British monarchy realised that replacing the old bridge would be more cost-effective than renovating it. The construction of the New London Bridge began in 1824, and it was opened in 1831. This structure lasted for less than 140 years. Both old and new bridges were made from stone arches. The one you see today is the modern London Bridge, built between 1968 and 1972, where the stone arches were replaced by concrete.
Myth surrounding the London Bridge
A popular theory suggests that the old bridge survived for more than 600 years as there were corpses encased in its moorings, adding to its foundational strength. In fact, historians believe that London Bridge was a significant part of a medieval punishment called immurement in which an individual used to left imprisoned in a space under the bridge, having no exits. Fortunately, this story hasn’t been proved as valid either.