The History of London

audiobook

The History of London

by Walter Besant

EN·~6 hours·66 chapters

Chapters

66 total
1

THE HISTORY OF LONDON

0:11
2

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

2:58
3

1. THE FOUNDATION OF LONDON. PART I.

5:33
4

2. THE FOUNDATION OF LONDON. PART II.

5:17
5

3. ROMAN LONDON. PART I.

4:44
6

4. ROMAN LONDON. PART II.

5:28
7

5. AFTER THE ROMANS. PART I.

4:44
8

6. AFTER THE ROMANS. PART II.

5:51
9

7. AFTER THE ROMANS. PART III.

5:06
10

8. THE FIRST SAXON SETTLEMENT.

4:33

Description

A sweeping portrait of England’s capital, this volume begins with the legendary founding of London by Brutus, the Trojan hero, and follows the city’s early growth through Roman conquest and the establishment of its first walls and gates. The author paints a vivid picture of the Thames’s twin streams, the marsh‑filled slopes that once framed the settlement, and the surrounding forest that gave Middlesex its name. By tracing the city’s evolution from a modest riverside outpost to a fortified Roman hub, readers gain a clear sense of how geography and myth shaped London’s identity.

The book is richly illustrated with more than fifty detailed plates, ranging from Roman pottery and Viking ship remnants to medieval costumes and early civic architecture. These images bring to life the bustling markets, the grandeur of early bridges, and the everyday attire of citizens across centuries. Together, the narrative and visuals offer an engaging, accessible entry point into London’s formative years, inviting listeners to explore the roots of a city that would later become a world metropolis.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~6 hours (383K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Release date

2009-02-04

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Walter Besant

Walter Besant

1836–1901

A popular Victorian storyteller and historian of London, he wrote vivid novels that mixed mystery, social observation, and a deep interest in everyday city life. His work also reached beyond fiction, helping shine a light on poverty in London’s East End.

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