The Lines of Communication were

English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...

fortifications commissioned by Parliament (see the Order for intrenching and fortifying the City of London, 7 March 1643) and built around London between 1642 and 1643 to protect the capital from attack by the Royalist armies of Charles I.Spitalfields Public Art 2007-08
http://www.spitalfields.co.uk/, Retrieved 2008-11-23 See the section "1. Craft:Pegg" They acted to supplement the inner defences provided by Roman and medieval wall in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

which underwent repairs and maintenance at this time. In 1642 some basic fortifications were built, in the form of street barricades and small earthworks. In 1643 a major construction effort was made, to provide a comprehensive ring of fortifications around the city. Much of the work was done by volunteer labour, organized by the trained bands and the

livery companies A livery company is a type of guild or professional association that originated in medieval times in London, England. Livery companies comprise London's ancient and modern trade associations and guilds, almost all of which are Style (form of a ...

. Up to 20,000 people are thought to be involved, and the works were completed in under two months. The fortifications failed their only test when the

New Model Army The New Model Army or New Modelled Army was a standing army formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War, then disbanded after the Stuart Restoration in 1660. It differed from other armies employed in the 1639 t ...

entered London in 1647, and they were levelled by Parliament the same year.

The Works

These works principally consisted of a strong earthen rampart reinforced with a series of 23 fortifications of various types surrounding the whole City, and its liberties (including

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

), at a distance of one and a half to two miles from the city centre. From

George Vertue George Vertue (1684 – 24 July 1756) was an English engraver and antiquary, whose notebooks on British art of the first half of the 18th century are a valuable source for the period. Life Vertue was born in 1684 in St Martin-in-the-Fields ...

's print it may be seen that the line begun below the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

, at the

Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after th ...

, and went northward towards the windmill in Whitechapel Road; then inclining to the north-west, it crossed the Hackney and

Kingsland Road Kingsland Road is the name given to an East London stretch of the A10 road within the London Borough of Hackney in England. The A10 was originally a Roman Road better known as Ermine Street or sometimes the Old North Road. The name ''Kingsla ...

s, near

Shoreditch Shoreditch is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Hackney alongside neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets, which are also perceived as part of the area due to historic ecclesiastical links. Shoreditch lies just north ...

, and turning to the south-west, crossed the end of St. John Street,

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...

Lane,

Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...

, and Oxford Road (now New Oxford Street), near St. Giles Pound (junction with St Giles High Street). Then proceeding westward to

Hyde Park Corner Hyde Park Corner is between Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Mayfair in London, England. It primarily refers to a major road junction at the southeastern corner of Hyde Park, that was originally planned by architect Decimus Burton. The juncti ...

, and Constitution Hill, it inclined towards Chelsea Turnpike, Tothill Fields, and the Thames. Again commencing near

Vauxhall Vauxhall ( , ) is an area of South London, within the London Borough of Lambeth. Named after a medieval manor called Fox Hall, it became well known for the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. From the Victorian period until the mid-20th century, Va ...

, it ran north-eastward to St. George's Fields, then making an angle to the east, crossed the Borough Road at the end of Blackman Street (southern section of

Borough High Street Borough High Street is a road in Southwark, London, running south-west from London Bridge, forming part of the A3 road, A3 route which runs from London to Portsmouth, on the south coast of England. Overview Borough High Street continues sout ...

), proceeded to the end of Kent Street (now Tabard Street) on the Deptford Road (now Old Kent Road), then inclining to the north-east, joined the Thames nearly opposite to the point where it began. The major fortifications were anti-clockwise from the north-east bank of the Thames:See Vertues map at fortified places.com
/ref> East *1) Bulwark, & half.bulwark : Gravel Lane *2) Hornwork : Whitechapel Road *3)

Redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a Fortification, fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on Earthworks (engineering), earthworks, although some are constructed of ston ...

& 2 flanks :

Brick Lane Brick Lane () is a street in the East End of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, borough of Tower Hamlets. It runs from Swanfield Street in Bethnal Green in the north, crosses the Bethnal Green Road before reaching the busiest, mo ...

*4) Redoubt & 4 flanks : Hackney Road *5) Redoubt & 4 flanks :

North *6) battery & Breastwork : Mountmill *7 Battery & Breastwork : St John Street *8) Small Redoubt : Islington Road (Outlier) *9) Large

Fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

& 4 half Bulwarks : Upper Pond, New River (Outlier) *10) Battery & Breastwork : Hill near Black Mary's Hole West *11) 2 Battery & Breastwork : Bedford House *12) Redoubt & 2 flanks : St Giles Road *13) Small Fort : Tiburn Road *14) Large Fort & 4 half Bulwarks :

Wardour Street Wardour Street () is a street in Soho, City of Westminster, London. It is a one-way street that runs north from Leicester Square, through Chinatown, London, Chinatown, across Shaftesbury Avenue to Oxford Street. Throughout the 20th century th ...

*15) Small Bulwark : Olivers Mount *16) Large fort & 4 Bulwarks :

*17) Small Bulwark & Battery : Constitution Hill *18) Court of Guards : Chelsea Turnpike *19) Battery & Breastwork : Tothill Field South of the Thames *20) Quadrant Fort & 4 half Bulwarks :

*21) Fort & 4 half Bulwarks : St George Field *22) Large Fort & 4 Bulwarks : Blackman Street *23) Redoubt & 4 flanks : Kent Street

The Works

Notes

References

Further reading