Defending London

The Military Landscape from Prehistory to the Presenr

Mike Osborne

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN:
  9780752464657
• eBook ISBN:
  9780752479316
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: British History
• Index: History

For two thousand years London has been at the heart of Britain's development as a nation, providing a focus for its political life. The military element is now usually visible only through the pageantry which attends royal occasions, but this masks a more serious underlying intent. Frequently the target for both foreign invaders and domestic factions, it has been required to defend itself against everything from seaborne raiders to aerial bombardment and the threat of nuclear war. At the same time, the direction of military affairs has been centred on London, along with the military infrastructure of barracks, depots, magazines, dockyards and munitions factories. The evidence for much of this can be seen in the landscape, from the mediaeval Tower of London and the underground nuclear citadels in the urban centre, to the royal palaces, moated sites, airfields and anti-invasion defences in the suburbs and the green belt. This book describes the various elements of London's military heritage, and places them in their historical and social context. From the castles and strong-houses of the mediaeval and Tudor monarchs and statesmen, to the pseudo-fortresses of the Victorian militia and rifle volunteers; the airfields of the anti-Zeppelin fighters of the Royal Flying Corps, and the Battle of Britain bases of the RAF, to the pillboxes of the defences against invasion in 1940, and the anti-nuclear defences of the Cold War and beyond.

Appendix 1

Prehistoric Camps

National Grid References are six-figure, approximate to 100m, or four-figure, giving the relevant km square.

Barnet, Hadley Wood, univallate camp

Brentwood camp, TQ578945

Carshalton, Queen Mary’s Hospital, camp

Caterham, War Coppice Camp

Chobham, The Bee Garden, Albury Bottom, SU974643

Edmonton, Bush Hill camp

Elstree, Brockley Hill, Pear Wood Belgic camp

Epping, Amresbury Banks, plateau camp, TL438004

Ewell, Diana’s Ditch, TQ227634

Gerrards Cross, Bulstrode Park Camp, SU995880

Holwood Park, Keston, Caesars Camp, TQ422639

Heathrow, Caesars Camp

Ilford, Uphall Camp, TQ447853

Loughton Camp, TQ419975

Weybridge/Walton-on-Thames, St George’s Hill Camp, TQ085619

Wimbledon Common, Caesar’s Camp, TQ224712

Woolwich Power Station site, ditches surrounding roundhouses

Appendix 2

Mediaeval Fortifications and Defensible Sites

1. Castles

Addington Castle Hill	TQ370641
Baynards Castle	TQ319808
Chessington Castle Hill	TQ191635
Cranford motte	TQ102771
Eynsford Castle	TQ541658
Farningham Castle	TQ547670
Godstone, Castle Hill, ring-work	TQ363508
Greenwich, Duke Humphrey’s Tower	TQ389773
Kingston-upon-Thames, castle	TQ181693
Montfichet	TQ318811
Ravengers, possible outwork of Tower of London, held by de Mandeville in 1141
Ruislip, Manor Farm, motte and bailey	TQ090878
St Mary Cray, Mount Way, The Mount, probable motte	TQ474681
Shoreham Castle	TQ523635
South Mimms, motte and bailey	TL230025
Tower of London	TQ335804
Walton-on-the-Hill, motte	TQ222551

2. Mediaeval Strong Houses

This list has been compiled with information from Philip Davis and Charles Coulson.

* Ave Maria Lane, a tower and gatehouse, part of the London residence of the Earls of Pembroke from around 1350

* Baynards Ward, house licensed to John de Molyns, 1338, Treasurer to Edward III

* Bread Street, licensed to John de Wengrave, 1314, Lord Mayor 1316–19

* Coldharbour, La Tour, a property fronting the Thames, possibly with a crenellated tower attached to a hall, owned by...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• One Prehistoric, Roman and Saxon London
• Two London 1066–1300
• Three London in the Later Mediaeval Period 1300–1600
• Four Stuart and Georgian London 1600–1815
• Five The Victorian Period c.1815–1914
• Six London in the First World War
• Seven The Interwar Years 1919–39
• Eight London in the Second World War
• Nine London in the Cold War 1946–90
• Appendix 1 Prehistoric Camps
• Appendix 2 Mediaeval Fortifications and Defensible Sites
• Appendix 3 Barracks, Camps and Depots
• Appendix 4 Some Drill Halls and TACs of the Volunteer Forces
• Appendix 5 Command and Control
• Appendix 6 Military Airfields and Aviation Sites
• Appendix 7 The Militia in 1850
• Appendix 8 Intelligence and Communications 1939–45
• Appendix 9 Site Gazetteer
• Appendix 10 Munitions Production and Logistical Support
• Appendix 11 Military Hospitals and Welfare 1642–2000
• Bibliography
• Copyright