The History of London: Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

The History of London, credited to Walter Besant, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of The History of London, by Walter Besant. Read by Ruth Golding. 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)

Recording facts

• Recording title: The History of London
• Author credits: Walter Besant
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 28
• Listed recording duration: 8:35:21

Catalogue topics

• history
• Roman
• Saxon
• mediaeval
• medieval
• Elizabethan
• Georgian
• Victorian

Opening tracks: first 24 of 28

1. 01 - Lessons 1 - 2: The Foundation of London (I - II) — 14:21
2. 02 - Lessons 3 - 4: Roman London (I - II) — 13:32
3. 03 - Lessons 5 - 7: After the Romans (I - III) — 20:17
4. 04 - Lessons 8 - 10: The First and Second Saxon Settlements, and The Anglo-Saxon Citizen — 18:58
5. 05 - Lessons 11 - 12: The Wall of London, and Norman London — 12:40
6. 06 - Lessons 13 - 14: Fitzstephen's Account of the City (I - II) — 14:02
7. 07 - Lessons 15 - 18: London Bridge (I - II), and The Tower of London (I - II) — 25:22
8. 08 - Lessons 19 - 20: The Pilgrims, and St. Bartholomew's Hospital — 13:18
9. 09 - Lessons 21 - 22: The Terror of Leprosy, and The Terror of Famine — 15:39
10. 10 - Lessons 23 - 25: St. Paul's Cathedral (I - II), and Paul's Churchyard — 21:28
11. 11 - Lessons 26 - 27: The Religious Houses, and Monks, Friars, and Nuns — 14:19
12. 12 - Lessons 28 - 29: The London Churches, The Streets — 15:08
13. 13 - Lessons 30 - 32: Whittington (I - III) — 19:04
14. 14 - Lessons 33 - 35: Gifts and Bequests, The Palaces and Great Houses, and Amusements — 20:53
15. 15 - Lessons 36 - 37: Westminster Abbey, and The Court at Westminster — 13:18
16. 16 - Lessons 38 - 39: Justice and Punishments, and The Political Power of London — 15:07
17. 17 - Lessons 40 - 42: Elizabethan London (I - III) — 18:51
18. 18 - Lessons 43 - 45: Trade (I - III) — 21:29
19. 19 - Lessons 46 - 49: Plays and Pageants (I - IV) — 25:54
20. 20 - Lessons 50 - 51: The Terror of the Plague (I - II) — 14:31
21. 21 - Lessons 52 - 53: The Terror of Fire (I - II) — 13:38
22. 22 - Lesson 54: Rogues and Vagabonds — 7:46
23. 23 - Lessons 55 - 59: Under George the Second (I - V) — 33:10
24. 24 - Lessons 60 - 62: The Government of the City (I - III) — 17:36

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Source and rights

This is a record from LibriVox's official Internet Archive collection, with a public-domain licence recorded in its metadata. LibriVox's policy includes its catalogue summaries as well as its recordings. Its public-domain assessment follows United States law; copyright status can differ elsewhere. The summary and track facts are reproduced and reformatted from that record. Dates attached to the archive upload are not treated as original book publication dates.