Don’t just pass by! Stop a moment and consider the story of this place: Moat Bridge. The Moat Bridge has a rich history tied to the Tower of London. The Tower’s moat wasn’t always dry. It was once fed by the River Thames. King Edward I extended it in 1285. This was done to keep attackers at a distance.
Imagine the moat 50 metres wide. It was very deep at high tide. The moat was stocked with pike. These fish were farmed for the fortress residents. Archaeologists even found wicker fish traps. These traps dated back to the 15th or 16th century. They contained fish skeletons.
Around 1843, disaster struck the Moat Bridge area. A deadly water-borne infection spread. It was blamed on the moat’s “putrid animal and excrementitious matter.” The Duke of Wellington ordered the moat drained. It became a defensive dry ditch or “fosse”.
However, the moat wasn’t always dry after that. Heavy rain caused the Thames to overflow in 1928. The Moat Bridge area flooded. Photographers captured how it looked when filled with water. During the Second World War, it became an allotment Victory Garden. Residents grew vegetables here.
More recently, the moat has seen spectacular changes. In 2022, it hosted the “Superbloom”. This was part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. Landscape architect Andrew Grant and designer Nigel Dunnett collaborated. They transformed the moat. It became a “joyous shout out for change”. Grant designed willow-edged cutouts. These mirrored the arched windows in Mount Legge. This is the northwest tower in the outer wall.
Dunnett was inspired by pointillism. He used pixel diagrams. This helped him create colour balance and mix proportions with flower seeds. The 2022 Superbloom acted as a catalyst. It was a tipping point for the permanent transition of the moat. It became Central London’s largest “wilding” project. Before 2022, these were inaccessible monotonous mown lawns.
Today, perennials and annuals thrive along the Moat Bridge. Yellow-eyed grass and magenta Knautia macedonica add colour. White rose campion adds silvery foliage. Lilac Scabiosa columbaria attracts bumble bees.
The Moat Bridge area is now a haven for pollinators. Historic Royal Palaces emphasizes this. They plan for a biodiverse habitat based on native plant communities. This transformation is set to fully happen in 2025.
Even invasive species like plantain play a role. They attract bees seeking pollen. Corn poppies are a mainstay. They evoke John McCrae’s World War One poem. The initial soil was engineered and weed-free. Now, some adventitious weed species have found a home here too. Corncockle and corn poppies make fine companions.
The north side of the moat offers a view of the “Walkie-Talkie” building. For Superbloom, speakers created a sensory experience. Musician Erland Cooper composed “Music for Growing Flowers”. As you circle to the eastern moat, look for The Nest. This willow sculpture frames the view of the Tower Bridge.
Brass and copper dragonflies fly over the Moat Bridge. Future plans include water features to attract real dragonflies. The Moat Bridge is not just a historical site. It is a living, evolving space. It promises a future of recycled rainwater and flowering marshes. Keep an eye on this magical place as it develops.