Bermondsey District
SE1, SE16 Nearest Tube: London Bridge
This district of south-east London lies on the south bank of the River
Thames, just north of Southwark. They name is believed to be derived from
the Saxon for "Beormund's Island" after a Saxon chief who once
ruled the area.
The district has a long association with religion. As early as the 11th
century there was an abbey in the area, and since then there have been
various other abbeys, churches and orders associated with Bermondsey.
For many years the district was renowned for being an attractive spot on
the banks of the river, but by the 18th century this was no longer the
case for the district had already become very developed.
The first industries to make their mark on the district were breweries and
the leather industry. These are reflected in some of the street names in
the district, for example Leather market Street where, as the name
suggests, a leather market was held for many years. Being on the banks of
the River Thames, Bermondsey was also influenced by the trade and industry
that the river supported. The legacy of this can still be seen in the
warehouses that survive in the district.
With the industry and trade came housing for the workers, and by the 19th
century the district had become a notorious slum area. The slums were
immortalised by Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist for it was in the slums of
Bermondsey that Bill Sikes met his untimely end. Today, of course, the
slums are gone, but the district still retains a very industrialised feel
to it, with little evidence of the pleasure gardens of the past.
Nevertheless there is a great deal for the tourist to see in Bermondsey,
for example Bermondsey Market and Terence Conran's Design Museum.
Bermondsey
Market
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Bermondsey Square, SE1
Nearest Tube: Bermondsey
Bermondsey Market is well known for its antique stalls, which sell all
manner of antiques and objects d'art. It is held every Friday morning but
if you can't make it then there are also lots of antique shops in the
surrounding areas.
You have to get there early for the market as it starts at 5am and
finishes around lunchtime, but if you are an antiques lover it will be
worth it.
Borough Market
is one of London's oldest wholesale fruit and vegetable markets,
established by Act of Parliament in 1756 and administered by 21 trustees
who have to live in the local community. It covers an area of 4.5 acres.
Operating in the early hours of the morning, the streets used to be quiet
and empty during the day. But not any more. Known in its heyday as
London's Larder, the capital relied on Borough Market for its essential
supplies. It is now being reborn as a retail centre of excellence in
addition to the trade activities
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British
Airways London Eye: dominates the London skyline
at 135m (450ft) is the world's highest observation wheel and
is London's fourth tallest structure. provide a birds-eye view usually
only accessible by helicopter or aircraft London eye offers unencumbered
views across an approximate 30 mile radius of London operates on a
continuous rotation with the capacity to take 1,600 visitors every hour
takes around 30 minutes to complete one full 360 degree rotation. First
turned on New Year's Eve 1999 to celebrate the millennium, began to carry
passengers on 1 February 2000. The Eye has capsules which weigh nine
tonnes each was expected to attract 2.2 million visitors within 12 months
carried 3.4 million people in its first year of operation
Britain
at War Museum
64-66 Tooley Street, SE1
Nearest Tube: London Bridge
This museum's full name is the Winston Churchill's Britain at
War and it chronicles the experiences of Londoners during the Blitz of
World War II.
There is all manner of war memorabilia on display, including posters,
ration books and a variety of old gas masks. And you can experience what
it was like to sit in either an Anderson air raid shelter or a tube
station shelter.
But perhaps the most poignant part of the museum is the mock up of a
recently bombed street, complete with noises, smoke and heat.
The Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience is open daily from
10am-5.30pm between April and September and from 10am-4.30pm between
October and March. Admission costs around £6 for adults.
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The
Globe Theatre
New
Globe Walk, Bankside SE1
Nearest Tube: London Bridge
This theatre is best known for being the newly built
open-air replica of Shakespeare's original Globe Theatre, which burned down
in 1613. As such it attracts both tourists and fans of Shakespeare in
droves.
But to simply view this theatre as a tourist attraction overlooks the fact
that it is also a quality theatre in its own right. Both the quality and
variety of performances is excellent.
The theatre isn't an exact replica - the original Globe housed 3,000
spectators whilst the present one can only accommodate 1,500. But it is
pretty near to the original and even has a thatched roof - the first
thatched roof in London since the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Shows take place during the daytime as the theatre relies on natural light
in an attempt to stay as authentic as possible. By the way, if you are
seeing a show and want it to be authentic, go for one of the 500 standing
spaces as that is the way that most of the public would have seen
performances in the 17th Century. Tickets for seats cost between £10 and
£20, but the standing spaces cost just £5 each.
There is also an excellent exhibition, which outlines the history of the
theatre, and a guided tour available. Performances only take place from
May-September, but if you visit off season it is still worth going just for
the tour and exhibition.
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Hayward Gallery
Belvedere Road, South Bank Centre, SE1
Part of the South Bank Arts Centre, the Hayward Gallery is one of London's major venues
for modern art exhibitions. It regularly receives excellent reviews and is considered by
many to be one of the best art galleries in London. As a result it is extremely popular
and often quite crowded.
Opening hours are Thursdays to Mondays 10am-6pm, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10am-8pm.
Admission prices vary according to the current exhibition, but are generally around £6
for adults.
Please note that if there is no exhibition on, the Hayward Gallery sometimes closes so its
best to check in advance as to what, if anything, is being shown.
Millennium
Bridge Hungerford
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In early 1997, consulting engineers WSP in
association with architects Lifschutz Davidson won the competition to
design new footbridges on either side of the Charing Cross Railway Bridge
over the Thames in central London. The new footbridges will replace the
present walkway alongside the railway line into Charing Cross station, and
are funded by a number of bodies including the City of Westminster,
Railtrack and the Millennium Commission.
Part of the South Bank Arts Centre, this is one of the most popular museums in London,
and for good reaso.
For a start it is all about TV and film, so most people find it interesting. It is also
very well set out which makes it very viewer friendly. Then it encourages a high level of
interaction, which kids love. And to top it all off it is also highly educational, so
adults like it too!
The museum traces the history of the moving image right from through from early animation
techniques and the first cine cameras, to black and white movies and right up to the
present day.
Topics covered include censorship, special effects, animation techniques and the
technicalities of filmmaking. And when it comes to taking part yourself, you can make your
own cartoon, be interviewed by the famous film critic Barry Norman, or even fly over
London like Superman.
The Museum of the Moving Image is open from 10am-6pm daily.
Royal National
Theatre
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Part of the South Bank Arts Centre, this large theatre complex is made up of three
separate venues:
The Olivier seats over 1000, and hosts the big shows.
The Lyttelton seats around 800, and is the venue for small theatre groups and experimental
performances.
The Cottesloe seats around 400, and is where the more cutting-edge shows tend to be
performed.
With these three theatres to choose from, there should be something for everyone. And
collectively they have ensured that the Royal National Theatre regularly receives
excellent reviews and is acclaimed as one of the most innovative theatre venues in London.
The central box office is open daily, except for Sundays, from 10am-8pm. Ticket prices
vary according to theatre and what is showing so check in advance.
This massive arts centre
started life in 1951 as the venue for the Festival of Britain. The
festival was held to celebrate the centenary of the Great Exhibition, and
was seeing as a way of raising post-war public morale.
After the Festival of Britain was over it was decided that the venue
should be used as a centre for arts and culture. The main hall was
converted into what is now known as the Festival Hall, and over the next
few years various other venues were added.
The first thing you will notice about the South Bank Centre is the
modernist architecture. A mass of concrete and harsh lines, people either
love it or hate it (usually the latter!). But whatever your view of the
outside, the centre is renowned as one of London's premier cultural venues
and so it is definitely worth a visit.
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Part of the South Bank Arts Centre, this building is the
original building that hosted the Festival of Britain in 1951. Since then it
has become the home of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and is most closely
associated with music.
It contains three separate venues and plays host to a wide variety of
musical styles - from classical and opera to jazz and blues there is
something for everyone. So it really is a must for music lovers everywhere.
The main hall tends to be host to the classical concerts, whilst the Queen
Elizabeth Hall is where operas and chamber music is performed. And the
Purcell Room is the regular venue for smaller recitals.
Free recitals are held most evenings in the main entrance foyer. A music
shop, record store, bookshop and a café for refreshments are all available.
If you visit this hall, remember to take some time to admire the lovely
views across the river.
Tower
Bridge EC3
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Nearest Tube: Tower Hill
Tower Bridge spans the River Thames between the Tower of
London on the north bank and the Tower Bridge Experience on the south bank.
It was built as recently as 1894 and yet it has become one of the most
famous of London's landmarks, and lays claim to being the world's most
photographed and painted bridge.
The bridge incorporates a bascule (seesaw) system, which allows the central
section to be raised so that tall ships can pass underneath. In order to
achieve this, the two towers contain a steel frame covered in stone, which
was a huge engineering feat at the time. And even today the mechanics of the
bridge are impressive - the 1,000 ton arms can be raised in just 1½
minutes. Spanning between the two towers is a high-level walkway for
pedestrian use. This was actually closed to the public between 1910 and 1982
as it had become a popular suicide spot, but now you can walk across as part
of the tour that is included in the Tower Bridge Experience.
Since London is
no longer as busy a port as it once was, the bridge is not raised very often
these days. But when it is it is still an impressive sight so it is worth
asking when the next scheduled raising is. Tower Bridge is open daily but
times vary throughout the year so do check times in advance. For a tour of
the bridge try the Tower Bridge Experience.
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Tower of London
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Tower Hill, EC3
Nearest Tube: Tower Hill
The Tower of London is one of London's most famous landmarks, located on
the north bank of the River Thames. It is here that you will be able to
learn lots about London's history, see the Crown Jewels, have your photo
taken next to a Beefeater and admire the famous ravens. The Tower is a
designated World Heritage Site and it is one of the most historical
buildings in London - in its time it has been a castle, a palace, a prison,
an armoury and even a menagerie. Today it is one of the city's most popular
tourist sites, attracting over two million visitors each year.
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