Shad Thames & St. Saviour's Dock

Shad Thames & St. Saviour's Dock, London

Jake Davies

Shad Thames, London, UK. — St. Saviour's Dock, a slice of Victorian history near Tower Bridge

With more than 2,000 years of history, London is home to a huge number of historical sites.

In many parts of the city history stands side by side with modern development. Near the north end of Tower Bridge, the oldest part of the city is home to the financial district, now a maze of steel and glass towers.

From the 17th through to the 20th centuries London as the capital of a global empire was a major port and centre for trade. In the late 20th century and the growth of container shipping the port of London fell into decline and much of this history has been erased.

However at the southern end of Tower Bridge, in the area around a street called Shad Thames, much of the historical infrastructure still remains and allows visitors a glimpse into Dickensian London.

Parts of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist were set in Shad Thames and the St. Saviours Dock area including Bill Sikes' den and the site of his death.

Architecture

Shad Thames runs parallel to the River Thames, just behind Butler's Wharf, one of the biggest former waterfront warehouses within the biggest complex of warehouses in London.

Shad Thames then turns ninety degrees and follows St. Saviour's Wharf built on a small inlet into the Thames.

The street in narrow, cobbled, and tall warehouses rise on either side to make an urban canyon.

High overhead, walkways criss-cross across the street allowing goods to be easily transferred between warehouses that were once stocked with tea, coffee, and spices.

Many of the converted buildings carry the names of the various goods that were stored here.

Gangways and bridges high above street level connect former warehouses. — Gangways and bridges high above street level connect former warehouses on either side of Shad Thames

Redevelopment

The last ships docked here in 1972, and the area fell into disuse. For a while artists moved in to the area including film director Derek Jarman and painter David Hockney.

Before long developers moved in and the area was gentrified. The former warehouses now have been converted into luxury apartments and offices and with many independent shops, cafes, bars, restaurants, galleries and such on the ground level.

Though cargo ships no longer dock here, the section of the river by Shad Thames, known as the Pool of London, is still deep enough to be visited by large ships. Various boast trips and tours can be taken from Butler's Wharf.

St. Saviour's Dock, London, UK. — St. Saviour's Dock, named after a medieval priory whose monks constructed the original wharf here

Access - Getting There

The nearest tube stations are Tower Hill (Circle & District Lines) on the North Bank and London Bridge (Jubilee & Northern) and Bermondsey (Jubilee) on the South Bank.

Nearby London Bridge Station (which connects to London Bridge tube station) is the 4th busiest station in the UK.

It has trains to various destinations in southeast England including Brighton, Cambridge, Charing Cross, Dartford, Dover, Gatwick Airport, Greenwich, Hastings, Hayes, London Victoria, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

By bus the nearest stop is Boss Street. The following London buses stop here - the 47, 108, 188, 381 and N199. At Dockhead buses 47, 188 and 381 and N381 all stop.

Accommodation

If you wish to stay in this area of London there are several recommended options.

These include the four-star Hilton London Tower Bridge, the good-value, three-star ibis Styles London Southwark, and also Native Bankside, which is close to the Globe Theatre.