Southwark - Naming, History

51°30N 0°06W, pop (2001e) 244 900. Borough of C Greater London, UK; S of the R Thames; includes the suburbs of Bermondsey, Southwark, Camberwell; formerly famous for its inns and Elizabethan theatres (site of Globe Theatre); railway; 13th-c Southwark Cathedral, Dulwich College (1621), Guy's Hospital (1721), Imperial War Museum, Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern.

For other places with the same name, see Southwark (disambiguation).

Southwark or The Borough is an area of the London Borough of Southwark situated 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east south-east of Charing Cross in London, England. From 1550 to 1899 it formed part of the City of London as the Ward of Bridge Without.

Naming

Southwark (pronounced [ˈsʌðək] or, locally, [ˈsʌvək]) and is the area of London immediately south of London Bridge.

It has been called The Borough since the 1550s, to contrast it with the neighbouring City, in later years to distinguish it from the larger Metropolitan Borough of Southwark and now to distinguish it from the much larger London Borough of Southwark.

Much of the area around the Tate Modern gallery and the Globe Theatre is now referred to by the historic name of Bankside, which was part of the Liberty of the Clink, rather than 'the Borough' but was part of Southwark because within the parish of St Saviour. These include London Bridge City, More London and the Pilar Piano Tower to be erected over London Bridge Station.

To the north is the River Thames, London Bridge station and Southwark Cathedral. Borough High Street runs roughly north to south from London Bridge towards Elephant and Castle.

The Borough is generally an area of mixed development, with council estates, major office developments, social housing and high value residential gated communities side by side with each other.

History

Early history

Southwark is on a previously marshy area south of the River Thames. This formed the best place to bridge the Thames and the area became an important part of Londinium owing its importance to its position as the endpoint of the Roman London Bridge. Two Roman roads, Stane Street and Watling Street, met at Southwark in what is now Borough High Street.

Londinium was abandoned at the end of the Roman occupation in the early fifth century and it and its bridge collapsed in decay.

Southwark appears to recover only during the time of King Alfred and his successors. Sometime in and around 886 AD the 'burh' of Southwark was created and the Roman City area reoccupied. It was probably fortified to defend the bridge and hence the re-emerging City of London to the north. He failed to force the Bridge during the Norman conquest of England, but Southwark was devastated.

Much of Southwark was originally owned by the church - the greatest reminder of monastic London is Southwark Cathedral, originally the priory of St Mary Overy.

During the early Middle Ages, Southwark developed and was one of the four Surrey towns which returned Members of Parliament for the first commons assembly in 1295. Southwark remained outside of the control of the City and was a haven for criminals and free traders, who would sell goods and conduct trades outside the regulation of the City Livery Companies. In 1327 the City obtained control from Edward III, of the manor next to the south-side of London Bridge (called latterly 'Guildable Manor', ie the place of taxes and tolls). An important market occupied the High Street, which was controlled by the City's officers -(later removed, to improve traffic to the Bridge, under a separate Trust by Act of Parliament of 1756 as the Borough Market on the present site).

Post 1500

After many decades' petitioning, in 1550, Southwark was incorporated into the City of London as 'The Ward of Bridge Without'. These manors are still constituted by the City under a Bailiff and Steward with their Courts Leet and View of Frankpledge Juries and Officers which still meet - their annual assembly being held in November under the present High Steward (the Recorder of London). Southwark was also a favorite area for entertainment like bull and bear-baiting. There was also a famous fair in Southwark which took place near the Church of St. George the Martyr. The University of Harvard maintains a link, having paid for a memorial chapel within Southwark Cathedral (his family's parish church) and where their UK based alumni hold services.

Urbanisation

In 1838 the first railway for the London area was created, planned to run from Southwark at London Bridge station to Greenwich only.

In 1861 the Great Fire of Southwark destroyed a large number of buildings between Tooley Street and the Thames, including those around Hays Wharf, where Hays Galleria was later built, and blocks to the west almost as far as St Olave's Church.

The first deep level London 'tube' underground line was 'The City and Southwark Railway', now the City Branch of the Northern Line, opened in 1890, running from King William Street through borough to Kennington.

In 1899 Southwark was incorporated along with Newington and Walworth into the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark, and in 1965 this was incorporated with the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell and Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey into the London Borough of Southwark.