The English took over the town of Limerick in the late 12th Century, and in 1197 granted a charter declaring Limerick a city. King John, who visited in 1210, ordered that a castle and a bridge be constructed. Exports of agricultural produce eventually brought prosperity to the city in the 15th century. The construction of Newtown Pery, the Georgian Quarter of the city, meant much of the old city walls were demolished, thus destroying the strong mediaeval character of the city. Newtown Pery is an area of Georgian blocks, eight long by four wide, each block measuring 100 yards in each direction. The southern end of the town was punctuated by a crescent of houses and the Peoples Park in Pery Square. Flanking these streets, on both the river and country sides, are the numerous granaries that once served a thriving export trade. In recent years, the river banks have undergone redevelopment with many new building constructed along them. Most of these are of little architectural merit.