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The History of London
by Walter Besant (1836-1901)
Walter Besant was a novelist and historian, and his topographical and historical writings, ranging from prehistoric times to the nineteenth century, were probably best known through the detailed 10-volume Survey of London published after his death.
This earlier single volume covers, in less depth, the whole period from prehistory until the 19th century. The book appears originally to have been written for boys, and, indeed, the chapters are called “Lessons”. However, it is a very readable history and provides a fascinating insight into both London’s past and the government of the City at the time the book was written (1894). (Summary by Ruth Golding)
- Gutenberg e-text
- Wikipedia – Walter Besant
- M4B audiobook of complete book
- LibriVox’s The History of London Internet Archive page
- Zip file of the entire book (247MB)
- RSS feed · Subscribe in iTunes
Total running time: 8:35:21
Read by Ruth Golding
mp3 and ogg files
- 01 – Lessons 1 – 2: The Foundation of London (I – II) – 00:14:21
[mp3@64kbps - 6.8MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 13.7MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.73MB] - 02 – Lessons 3 – 4: Roman London (I – II) – 00:13:31
[mp3@64kbps - 6.4MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 12.9MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.26MB] - 03 – Lessons 5 – 7: After the Romans (I – III) – 00:20:16
[mp3@64kbps - 9.7MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 19.4MB]
[ogg vorbis - 9.48MB] - 04 – Lessons 8 – 10: The First and Second Saxon Settlements, and The Anglo-Saxon Citizen – 00:18:57
[mp3@64kbps - 9.1MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 18.2MB]
[ogg vorbis - 8.86MB] - 05 – Lessons 11 – 12: The Wall of London, and Norman London – 00:12:40
[mp3@64kbps - 6.0MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 12.1MB]
[ogg vorbis - 5.85MB] - 06 – Lessons 13 – 14: Fitzstephen’s Account of the City (I – II) – 00:14:01
[mp3@64kbps - 6.7MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 13.4MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.51MB] - 07 – Lessons 15 – 18: London Bridge (I – II), and The Tower of London (I – II) – 00:25:22
[mp3@64kbps - 12.1MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 24.3MB]
[ogg vorbis - 12MB] - 08 – Lessons 19 – 20: The Pilgrims, and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital – 00:13:17
[mp3@64kbps - 6.3MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 12.7MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.26MB] - 09 – Lessons 21 – 22: The Terror of Leprosy, and The Terror of Famine – 00:15:39
[mp3@64kbps - 7.5MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 15.0MB]
[ogg vorbis - 7.42MB] - 10 – Lessons 23 – 25: St. Paul’s Cathedral (I – II), and Paul’s Churchyard – 00:21:28
[mp3@64kbps - 10.3MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 20.6MB]
[ogg vorbis - 10MB] - 11 – Lessons 26 – 27: The Religious Houses, and Monks, Friars, and Nuns – 00:14:19
[mp3@64kbps - 6.8MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 13.7MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.74MB] - 12 – Lessons 28 – 29: The London Churches, The Streets – 00:15:07
[mp3@64kbps - 7.2MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 14.5MB]
[ogg vorbis - 7.11MB] - 13 – Lessons 30 – 32: Whittington (I – III) – 00:19:04
[mp3@64kbps - 9.1MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 18.3MB]
[ogg vorbis - 8.94MB] - 14 – Lessons 33 – 35: Gifts and Bequests, The Palaces and Great Houses, and Amusements – 00:20:53
[mp3@64kbps - 10.0MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 20.0MB]
[ogg vorbis - 9.67MB] - 15 – Lessons 36 – 37: Westminster Abbey, and The Court at Westminster – 00:13:17
[mp3@64kbps - 6.3MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 12.7MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.16MB] - 16 – Lessons 38 – 39: Justice and Punishments, and The Political Power of London – 00:15:06
[mp3@64kbps - 7.2MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 14.5MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.96MB] - 17 – Lessons 40 – 42: Elizabethan London (I – III) – 00:18:51
[mp3@64kbps - 9.0MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 18.1MB]
[ogg vorbis - 8.82MB] - 18 – Lessons 43 – 45: Trade (I – III) – 00:21:28
[mp3@64kbps - 10.3MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 20.6MB]
[ogg vorbis - 10MB] - 19 – Lessons 46 – 49: Plays and Pageants (I – IV) – 00:25:53
[mp3@64kbps - 12.4MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 24.8MB]
[ogg vorbis - 12MB] - 20 – Lessons 50 – 51: The Terror of the Plague (I – II) – 00:14:31
[mp3@64kbps - 6.9MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 13.9MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.81MB] - 21 – Lessons 52 – 53: The Terror of Fire (I – II) – 00:13:38
[mp3@64kbps - 6.5MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 13.0MB]
[ogg vorbis - 6.38MB] - 22 – Lesson 54: Rogues and Vagabonds – 00:07:45
[mp3@64kbps - 3.7MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 7.4MB]
[ogg vorbis - 3.65MB] - 23 – Lessons 55 – 59: Under George the Second (I – V) – 00:33:09
[mp3@64kbps - 15.9MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 31.8MB]
[ogg vorbis - 16MB] - 24 – Lessons 60 – 62: The Government of the City (I – III) – 00:17:35
[mp3@64kbps - 8.4MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 16.8MB]
[ogg vorbis - 8.21MB] - 25 – Lesson 63: London – 00:08:36
[mp3@64kbps - 4.1MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 8.2MB]
[ogg vorbis - 4.04MB] - 26 – Author’s Notes on Lessons 1 – 20 – 00:36:03
[mp3@64kbps - 17.3MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 34.6MB]
[ogg vorbis - 17MB] - 27 – Author’s Notes on Lessons 21 – 39 – 00:24:48
[mp3@64kbps - 11.9MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 23.8MB]
[ogg vorbis - 12MB] - 28 – Author’s Notes on Lessons 40 – 63 – 00:25:46
[mp3@64kbps - 12.3MB]
[mp3@128kbps - 24.7MB]
[ogg vorbis - 12MB]
Cataloged on March 28, 2009













