Scribbler's London: Ghosts of Dead Medieval Monks Still Pay Millions for the Repair of London's Historic Bridges - Even in This Millennium!

As an American, I sometimes get miffed by the jokes about my compatriot who came to London to buy the Tower Bridge thinking it is the "advertised-for-sale" London Bridge. Far from being miffed, resourceful as he was, he immediately dismantled what he got and brought it to Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Then, that is a legend for history.

However, the past continues to pervade every inch and every minute of London's present.

Had it been any other city, repair of centuries-old bridges would have led to heated exchanges between elders in the chambers of city hall and to complaints by the taxpayers on the pages of newspapers.

None of that in London. For that Londoners, who don't have to pay even one penny, have to thank the souls of some departed hooded monks.

The earliest bridges of timber and stones were built by the Brethren of London Bridge under the supervision of their head Peter de Colechurch. They are believed to have also built the now-extinct St.Olave's Church, predecessor to the present-day St.Olaf's on Tooley Street.

As wardens of the London's bridges, they were entitled to collect toll from users.

When time came to pass the control of the bridges to the local authority, the monks, WITH FORESIGHT, deposited their whole toll collection in a trust, the newly formed Bridge House Estates, to look after the future repair and maintenance of the bridges.

In the year 1097, the only bridge over Thames was the London Bridge. Westminster bridge near the Parliament came 650 years later in 1750. (Tower, Blackfriars, and Millennium Bridges joined the list later. Southwark Bridge was an acquisition from another builder.)

Today, those monks' gift to Londoners is worth 700 million pounds. And, the Corporation of the City of London is its sole trustee.

Since the funds far exceeds the bridges' needs, the trust is now allowed to make philanthropic contributions to local charities working with old, disabled and disadvantaged people - may be another way of making "bridges" socially.

FOR VISITORS TO LONDON:

Tower and Southwark bridges - two popular landmarks in London are scheduled for maintenance work during this month. Some visitors may be disappointed that they may not be able to shoot pictures of these bridges unhindered the way they liked. They may find scaffolds obscuring one or other end of both bridges during some, if not most, of the weeks for the next TWO years.

City officials have promised the public to do the maintenance work in sections as far as possible to avoid inconvenience to pedestrians and vehicles. I think, as in any construction activity, it is better to be ready for some inconvenience and disappointment, especially if you are a photography enthusiast.

(I still remember the frustrated cries of "Oh, No!" or "Damned" from visitors on seeing the "shrouded" St.Paul's Church for weeks in the past. Some of them were seen frantically searching for suitable locations to avoid the scaffolds in their pictures.)

River cruises won't be affected until 2010 when the middle spans of the Tower Bridge will be taken up for painting. But even that is said to be a partial shutdown only - with river traffic limited during some hours on such days.

The City is so worried about the debris falling into the river that even the underside of the bridges will be scaffolded and cleaned up daily.

No, you needn't postpone your visit to London. For now, it is just a matter of finding the correct angles for your cameras to avoid the scaffolds on the bridges. May be in 2010, it may also include inquiring the Thames cruise companies in advance for any change in their scheduled departures from the various piers.

As for Londoners, they can't complain, as their medieval monks had the foresight and kindness to take care of the bridge expenses and remove that heavy burden from the shoulders of their posterity.

The abbots could have used the money for the upkeep of their abbeys and monasteries. They didn't!

Bridge-builders seem to have emotional attachment to the bridges they create.