Editing History of London (section)

==Foundations and prehistory==
Some recent discoveries indicate probable very early settlements near the Thames in the London area. At the [[Fulham Palace]] site in [[Fulham]] in modern [[West London]], evidence of prehistoric activity dating from the late [[Mesolithic]] and early [[Neolithic]] age was uncovered by various archaeological investigations undertaken there since the early 1970s, depicting the use of struck flint. The site appears to have been an isolated [[ait|eyot]] within the braided river channel of the [[River Thames]]. Later prehistoric activity dating to the [[Bronze Age]], was revealed in the form of a possible barrow, whilst there is limited evidence for a late Iron Age occupation.<ref name="Timeline">{{Cite web |url=https://www.fulhampalace.org/house-garden/timeline/ |title=Timeline |website=Fulham Palace |language=en |access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref>

In 1993, the remains of a [[Bronze Age]] bridge were found on the Thames's south foreshore, upstream of [[Vauxhall Bridge]].<ref name="britarch.ac.UK">{{cite web|url=http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba46/ba46news.html|title=British Archaeology, no 46, July 1999: News|publisher=britarch.ac.uk|access-date=13 June 2015}}</ref> This bridge either crossed the Thames or went to a now-lost island in the river. [[Dendrology]] dated the timbers to between 1750 BC and 1285 BC.<ref>URL:https://vauxhallhistory.org/vauxhall-bridge/. Accessed: 2018-06-23. (Archived by WebCite® at)</ref> In 2001, a further dig found that the timbers were driven vertically into the ground on the south bank of the Thames west of Vauxhall Bridge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ancientcraft.co.uk/News/2012/Vauxhall%20Bridge%20Survey%20Report%20%28270112%29%20-%20James%20Dilley.pdf|title=Vauxhall Bridge Survey Report|publisher=James Dilley|access-date=9 December 2013|archive-date=12 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212185657/http://www.ancientcraft.co.uk/News/2012/Vauxhall%20Bridge%20Survey%20Report%20%28270112%29%20-%20James%20Dilley.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2010, the foundations of a large timber structure, dated to between 4800 BC and 4500 BC<ref>London's Oldest Prehistoric Structure. BAJR. 2018-07-06. URL:http://www.bajrfed.co.uk/bajrpress/londons-oldest-prehistoric-structure/. Accessed: 2018-07-06.</ref> were found, again on the foreshore south of Vauxhall Bridge.<ref name="thamesdiscovery.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.thamesdiscovery.org/frog-blog/london-s-oldest-find-discovered-at-vauxhall|title=Thames Discovery Programme - London's Oldest Foreshore Structure!|publisher=thamesdiscovery.org|access-date=13 June 2015}}</ref> The function of the Mesolithic structure is not known. All these structures are on the south bank at a natural crossing point where the [[River Effra]] flows into the Thames.<ref name="thamesdis
It is thought that the Thames was an important tribal boundary, and numerous finds have been made of [[spear]] heads and weaponry from the Bronze and Iron Ages near the banks of the Thames in the London area, many of which had clearly been used in battle.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Team – On the banks of the Thames |url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/snapshot_bronze.html |website=Channel 4 |language=en |access-date=28 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207062801/http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/snapshot_bronze.html |archive-date=7 December 2006 |url-status=bot: unknown }}(Original: {{cite web |title=Time Team – On the banks of the Thames |url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/snapshot_bronze.html |website=Channel 4 |language=en}})</ref>

The archaeologist Leslie Wallace notes, "Because no [[Prehistoric Britain#Late pre-Roman Iron Age (LPRIA)|LPRIA]] [Late pre-Roman Iron Age] settlements or significant domestic refuse have been found in London, despite extensive archaeological excavation, arguments for a purely Roman foundation of London are now common and uncontroversial."<ref name="Wallace">{{cite book|last1=Wallace|first1=Leslie|title=Late pre-Roman Iron Age (LPRIA)|date=2015|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1107047570|page=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gbMkBQAAQBAJ&q=pre-roman+london&pg=PA9|access-date=16 February 2018}}</ref>