Historical record · A city whose centre keeps changing

London

Follow London through Roman settlement, shifting medieval centres, disaster, government and transport.

Primary topic: Places

Scope of this guide

Selected milestones in Roman London, the City and later Greater London. An approximate Roman foundation is not the first human presence, nor proof of uninterrupted urban occupation. Latest milestone is the verified 2022 central Elizabeth line opening, not an assertion that change stopped then.

Actual source-review status

10 completed · 0 partial · 0 pending chapter reviews in this subject.

The factual audit is unfinished. These counts come from recorded chapter reviews, not legacy “reviewed” wording, confidence labels or image checks. A completed source review retains scientific and historical uncertainty.

Key chapters

c. 47–50 CE
Londinium takes shape →
A Roman settlement develops beside the Thames.
Chapter source review completed: 2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review. Scientific uncertainty is retained in the evidence note.
2–6 September 1666
Fire destroys much of the City →
A bakery fire spreads through densely built streets.
Chapter source review completed: 2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review. Scientific uncertainty is retained in the evidence note.
24 May 2022
The Elizabeth line opens through central London →
New tunnels connect Paddington and Abbey Wood.
Chapter source review completed: 2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review. Scientific uncertainty is retained in the evidence note.

Connected roads

These are authored connections in the existing catalogue, not an automatically inferred family tree.

War expands in Asia and Europe (related topic) · Subject guide

All chapters & review records

Londinium takes shapecompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
London’s trading centre moves westcompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
Alfred restores the walled towncompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
The White Tower asserts Norman powercompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
Fire destroys much of the Citycompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
A polluted river forces actioncompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
The Metropolitan Railway openscompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
The Blitz strikes London’s dockscompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
Greater London gains a new councilcompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review
The Elizabeth line opens through central Londoncompleted2026-10-11 · Codex expansion source review

Sources

Sources cited by the existing chapters. Listing a source does not mean every claim has been verified.