Remarkable things you probably didn't know about medieval London

London in the Middle Ages was both fascinating and terrifying in equal measure. A deafeningly loud and increasingly crowded city crammed inside barely one square mile.

Here are a few of the most remarkable facts about medieval London – plus tips on where to find the remnants of this period in the modern capital.

1. The Tower of London had two siblings

The Normans actually established three castles in London to help subdue the locals and keep the Vikings at bay.

Baynard’s Castle, named after the nobleman Ralph Baynard, stood where the Thames and Fleet rivers once met - close to what is now Blackfriars Tube - for more than a century. King John had it torn down in 1213, but a second property with the same name was built in the 14th century. It became a royal palace and was where both Edward IV and Mary I were crowned, but didn’t survive the Great Fire of 1666. The name lingers, however. Castle Baynard is one of the City’s 25 wards, there’s a Castle Baynard Street, and the Brutalist Baynard House is occupied by BT.

Montfichet's Tower, meanwhile, was built on Ludgate Hill, overlooking the Fleet river, a stone’s throw to the north (it was also demolished by John in 1213). These twin fortifications ran along what is now the Old Bailey road, hence the name.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/england/london/articles/medieval-london/

More to read on the link

The Fleet River was originally named the Holborn (or Oldborne) River by Anglo Saxons. It is actually a tidal tributary, as all of the lower Themes. It originates from springs in Hampstead Heath.