Horaires de visiteFermé
Mercredi, Avril 1, 2026
River Thames, Centre de Londres, Royaume‑Uni
Retour à history
bridges

Old London Bridge: River Traffic and Tolls

How wherries and barges moved goods under and around Old London Bridge, and what tolls meant to the city.

1/12/2026
15 min read
Historic depiction of Old London Bridge with boats below

Old London Bridge and boats

Pinch points and currents

Narrow arches created shoots where experienced watermen steered; novices waited for slack tide.

Daily traffic

  • Fish, grain, timber
  • Stone, wool, imported goods
  • City folk crossing by ferry when bridge was crowded

Tolls & Control

  • Payments kept bridge repairs funded; disputes common.
  • Experienced watermen timed shoots through arches.

Safety Then vs. Now

  • Narrow flows demanded skill; today’s traffic is signalled and controlled.

À propos de l’auteur

Thames History Writer

Thames History Writer

J’ai conçu ce guide pour rendre votre journée sur la Tamise simple, éclairante et pleine de conseils locaux.

Tags

Thames
Old London Bridge
Wherries
Barges

Comments (0)

Leave a Comment

Loading comments...