In this wholly new & dynamic view of London Farrell looks beyond the contribution of individual buildings to the city. He creates a larger more exciting frame charting how the capitals messy & complex shape has been hewn out of a series of layers
- natural & manmade so the Thames & the natural landscape gets as much attention as the railway infrastructure the roads & the canals. This provides a whole series of revelations that allow us to see the city afresh: How might the natural bends in the river have impacted where & what was built? How have the Thames tributaries affected historic boundaries & development played out in the estates of Mayfair? How is the Roman plan for the city of London still discernible in todays street patterns? Illustrated with original sketches maps archive photographs & paintings this book provides a vibrant & intriguing collage of Londons patterns & its history. Covers: * The Thames at West London Central London Docklands & the Estuary * Tributaries * Canals * Railways * The London Underground * The natural landscape