London Wall

The London Wall is a defensive wall first built by the Romans around the strategically important port town of Londinium in c. AD 200, as well as the name of a modern street in the City of London, England [1]. The original gates, clockwise from Ludgate in the west to Aldgate in the east, were: Ludgate, Newgate, Cripplegate, Bishopsgate and Aldgate [1]. Aldersgate, between Newgate and Cripplegate, was added around 350 [1]. The length and size of the wall made it one of the biggest construction projects in Roman Britain [1]. It had gateways, towers and defensive ditches, and was built from Kentish ragstone, which was brought by barge from quarries near Maidstone [1]. The city walls of London were repaired as the city slowly grew until about 950 when urban activity increased dramatically [1]. During the early medieval period – following the Norman Conquest of England – the walls underwent substantial work that included crenellations, additional gates and further towers and bastions [1].