Plaque

London Bridge remnant

Cathedral Square London Bridge remnant
Inscription

{On the stone laid into the paving:}
This stone is a remnant of the London Bridge designed by Sir John Rennie. The bridge spanned the river from 1831 to 1967. It was then sold to Robert P. McCulloch, an American entrepreneur and today can be found in Arizona, USA.

{The long piece of text on the river wall below the information panel reads:}
There are two things scarce matched in the universe: the sun in heaven and the Thames on earth. Sir Walter Raleigh, 1552 – 1618.

The long piece of text is attributed to Raleigh, here and all over the web, but we can find no source for it, so we've put this page in our Puzzle Corner.

2022: Edward Kegg found a reference to the source in a letter from E. L. H. to the 1863 'Notes and Queries'.  Walter Raleigh is a character in Walter Scott's 1821 historical romance 'Kenilworth'. In chapter XV Scott puts this quote into Raleigh's mouth. So really it's a quote from Scott, not Raleigh at all.  Puzzle solved. Thank you, Edward.

Site: Cathedral Square (4 memorials)

SE1, Montague Close

There are 4 memorials in this photo:

  • The London Bridge information/viewing panel is on top of the river wall, just to the right of the person with the red hat.
  • The plaque to Folajimi Olubumni-Adewole is on the face of the river wall, largely hidden by the group of three women at the far right.
  • The remnant from the bridge is laid in the pavement, about where the two people are standing.
  • The London Bridge 2017 attack panel is on top of the river wall, between the person with the white bag and the person in the white shirt.

The information panel was originally set at the centre but it was moved to the left to allow the 2017 attack panel to take the central position.

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
London Bridge remnant

Subjects commemorated i

London Bridge

Four stone bridges have spanned the Thames at this point. The first was built...

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Robert P. McCulloch

American entrepreneur from Missouri, best known for McCulloch chainsaws and f...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
London Bridge remnant

Created by i

Sir Walter Raleigh

Courtier, explorer, author and puddle-coverer.  Born Devon.  Became a favouri...

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Walter Scott

Writer. Born Edinburgh. Extremely popular in his lifetime, worldwide. Nove...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
London Bridge remnant

Also at this site i

Folajimi Olubumni-Adewole - SE1

Folajimi Olubumni-Adewole - SE1

Jimi #hero Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole, a resident of Southwark, lived in Bermo...

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London Bridge attack 2017

London Bridge attack 2017

There was only one British citizen amongst the victims; the others were Austr...

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London Bridge - information/viewing panel

London Bridge - information/viewing panel

Unveiled by the Duke of Gloucester, this is actually an "interpretation panel...

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Nearby Memorials

The Red House

The Red House

DA6, Red House Lane, Red House

Red House, built in 1859 - 60 by Philip Webb, architect, for William Morris, poet and artist, who lived here 1860 - 1865. Greater London ...

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Queen's Theatre - Wardour Street

Queen's Theatre - Wardour Street

W1, Wardour Street, Queens Theatre

The Les Mis plaque is laid in the ground at the front, audience, entrance.

4 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Charlotte Mew

Charlotte Mew

WC1, Doughty Street, 30

Charlotte Mew, 1869 - 1928, poet, lived here, 1869 - 1890. Marchmont Association

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
West Hackney National Schools

West Hackney National Schools

N16, Evering Road, 9a

We weren't expecting the investigation into this plaque to turn up anything particularly interesting but go to the page for vicar Birch a...

2 subjects commemorated
Margaret Rutherford - Balham

Margaret Rutherford - Balham

SW12, Dornton Road, 15

Margaret Rutherford, 1892 - 1972, theatre and film actress born and raised here. 2010 Wandsworth Council 

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator