"If one might hazard a conjecture concerning it, we should refer its
composition to some very ancient date, when, London Bridge lying in
ruins, the office of bridge master was vacant, and his power over the
river Lea (for it is doubtless that river which is celebrated in the
chorus to this song) was for a while at an end. But this, although the
words and melody of the verses are extremely simple, is all uncertain."
If I might hazard another conjecture, I would refer it to the period when
London Bridge was the scene of a terrible contest between the Danes and
Olave of Norway. There is an animated description of this "Battle of London
Bridge," which gave ample theme to the Scandinavian scalds, in _Snorro
Sturleson_; and, singularly enough, the first line is the same as that of
our ditty:--
"London Bridge is broken down;
Gold is won and bright renown;
Shields resounding,
War horns sounding,
Hildur shouting in the din;
Arrows singing,
Mail-coats ringing,
Odin makes our Olaf win."
See Laing's _Heimskringla_, vol. ii. p. 10.; and Bulwer's _Harold_, vol. i.
p. 59. The last-named work contains, in the notes, some excellent remarks
upon the poetry of the Danes, and its great influence upon our early
national muse.