Index / Directory Of London History
This Page: Introduction Overview Of The Early History Of London
The Roman City Verulamium St Albans Herts
The Early History Of London
In 1136AD, a clergyman Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote in Latin ‘ The Historia Regum Britanniae’ (the history of the Kings of Britain) a work that reportedly detailed the lives of English Kings from around 1000BC. He suggested that London was established as a settlement by Brutus of Troy and first named Caer Troia, or Troia Nova (The New Troy ) before the names changed to Trinovantum. He proposed that one of the Trinovantes, King Lud renamed the town CaerLudein, and that London was later derived from that name.
The creditability of Geoffrey’s work has been debated with many historians accusing him of ‘plagiarism’ and citing its content as coming from Historia Britonum complied by other Latin and Welsh Writers in the 9th century and Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum in the 8th Century. Some Historians also say it has uncanny similarities to Gilda’s De Excidio Britanniae written in the 6th century.
Many constituents of Geoffrey’s work such as his account of the life of King Arthur who’s actual existence is often regarded as being fictitious are thought to political and religious maneuverings rather factual. His account of the origins of the Trinovantes is thought to be to be a total lie as these people, who were Celtic in origin were viewed as the most powerful tribal power in England . They ruled Essex Hertfordshire and Suffolk before the Roman invasion in AD43. Critics of Geoffrey also stress that there have been no significant finds by archaeologists in the London area which indicate that the New Troy or CaerLudein existed.
However in 2002 an excavation opposite the M16 (British Secret Service) building at Vauxhall on the Southbank of the Thames carried out by Channel Four Television unearthed two Bronze Age spearheads alongside the top of a wooden structure that was visible at low tide. The spearheads had been positioned in a way commonly associated with rituals or sacrifice. This area was where two tributaries of the Thames merged with river and may have spiritual significance to Bronze age civilization.
The wooden structure which is thought to be 3000 years old according to historian Francis Pryor could have been part of a Bridge or pier. Time wise the findings of this excavation concurs with the dates of the first English Kings in Geoffrey’s work.
Other archaeological discoveries on the southbank of the Thames have found bronze and Iron Age weapons (some impaled in the remains of victims) which indicate that the area may have been the border between one or more tribal areas or regions rather than a settlement. This theory is supported by separate excavations indicating that there were significant settlements to the south of the Thames at Battersea Brentford Chelsea and Egham.
