You’ve probably heard the creepy theory that children were buried alive in the bridge’s foundations to keep it from falling. It’s a juicy story, perfect for Halloween, but archaeologists say there’s zero evidence for it.
In fact, the only thing found under old bridges was usually just gravel and bad drainage. But hey, the myth persists because it’s just too good to ignore. “Human sacrifice keeps the bridge steady!” sounds way more interesting than “We need better mortar.”
So, while that part of the rhyme is fiction, it does reflect a very real fear: London Bridge often had a really bad track record of collapsing. More on that below.
Meaning Of London Bridge Is Falling Down | Detroit Chinatown
