James Wignall And Bradley Moore of Studio Wignall & Moore
LONDON BRIDGE, constructed between 1176 and 1209, stood for many centuries as the only stone crossing over the River Thames. As the longest inhabited bridge in Europe, it was considered a marvel of its time. It was partly built as an act of penitence by King Henry II, following the murder of former friend and later opponent Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, with a chapel at its centre dedicated to Becket the martyr.
Remarkably, the stone bridge withstood the Great Fire of London in 1666, yet somehow by the mid- 18th century, it had fallen out of fashion and was ultimately dismantled in the 1830s.
Had it endured just a few more generations, ‘Old’ London Bridge would have been a living testament to this country’s rich history and could have been the showcase for a remarkable tapestry of Medieval charm, Victorian innovation and 21st-century technology.
James Wignall and Bradley Moore founded Studio Wignall & Moore in 2017. The award-winning RIBA Chartered architecture practice is made up of architects and artisans, and produces expressive buildings, places and unique installations that bring joy. The practice offers original designs based on an appreciation of, and sensitivity to, architecture, art and history.
