London - Southwark

"To help you understand the history of these sites make sure you carry a copy of London Brewed, available here: "

This is a walking tour of Southwark - A place of "stews, brothels and bear baiting" plus some theatricals for good measure

Start on Southwark Bridge, West Side and Centre.

Point out the City of London to the North, the place of the money makers and deal doers. Then point out Southwark to the south a place of "Stews, brothels and bear baiting".

Just west of the Bridge was the Liberty of the Clink manor, which was never controlled by the City, but was held under the Bishopric of Winchester's nominal authority. This area therefore became the entertainment district for London, with attractions such as bull and bear-baiting. It also hosted a concentration of brothels.[5] In 1587, Southwark's first playhouse theatre, The Rose, opened. The Rose was set up by Philip Henslowe, and soon became a popular place of entertainment for all classes of Londoners. Both Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare, two of the finest writers of the Elizabethan age, worked at the Rose.

But first a teaser question - who knows where the Globe Theatre is. The answers for most modern travellers in the area will be West of the Bridge at the site of the NEW Globe. MaMake people wait to reveal the true position of Shakespeare's Globe.

In 1599 the Globe Theatre, in which Shakespeare was a shareholder, was erected on the Bankside in the Liberty of the Clink. It burned down in 1613, and was rebuilt in 1614, only to be closed by the Puritans in 1642 and subsequently pulled down not long thereafter. A modern replica called Shakespeare's Globe, has been built near the original site. The impresario in the later Elizabethan period for these entertainments was Shakespeare's colleague Edward Alleyn, who left many local charitable endowments, most notably Dulwich College.

It is where the City men went for "relaxation" after their hard days work.

Southwark is a place known to Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Samuel Johnson and Charles Dickens. Your feet will tread where all of these great men once walked. In fact there is every chance that some of the ancient paving slabs and cobbles are the same ones as these people walked - so at least the soles of your shoes will be in touch with the past.

Looking west towards Westminster you can view the Globe Theatre on the south bank of the river. However, this is a more recent creation and not even on the site of Shakespeare's Globe. That lies on our walk. Remember where you saw the new Globe as we will discover where the real Globe is and why it can;t be more exposed.

Proceed on the same side until you are facing Anchor Terrace. These are the substantial remains of the offices of Barclay, Perkins & Co. Ltd (aka Thrales, Courage). Note that these are listed Georgian terraces and cannot be changed or demolished. An important point to remember as well.

Cross the road and descend via the archway and staircase to the lower level which is Park Street.

Head eastward and almost immediately is an open space on the right which shows you the ground layout of the Globe. Read the information panels.

As you can see from the lower level Anchor Terrace is built over part of the area previously occupied by the Globe. As the Terrace is a listed, it cannot be demolished and so expose the rest of the remains of the Globe - what a dilemma!

As you may already know, the Globe burnt to the ground in 1613 when a canon used during a performance of Henry VIII set light to the thatched roof and wooden supports of the building. However, it was famously partly extinguished by a patron with a bottle of beer he was carrying.

There is an urban myth that says the main method of collecting the entrance fees in these places was for a number of boxes to be passed around the audience just before the performance. These were collected together for counting in a central room, forever known as "The Box Office". However, there is no empirical proof but a nice story nonetheless.

The remains of the Rose Theatre, another Elizabethan theatre and a great rival of the Globe, is just next door. Well underneath the building on the other side of the bridge underpass. Access for viewing is available.

All around the area are plaques detailing the history of the Anchor Brewery and its owners. Take time to walk around them all. However, nothing remains of the brewery.

Return to Park Street and head east towards Clink Street along the river frontage. Passing the Anchor Bankside.

This old pub has been here for hundreds of years, having been rebuilt twice after fires, once in 1750 and again in 1876. Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire of London from one of those earlier versions of the Anchor. It was known as one of the great "stews" of Southwark.

It was always a local for the actors of the Globe and the Rose and the operators of the local bear baiting gardens. And one can assume the actors of the more modern Globe, once the tourists have gone home!

It was also the local for the Thrales when they owned the brewery and of course their great friend Samuel Johnson, who also had rooms at the Anchor Brewery where he did much of his work on the Great Dictionary.

The Anchor also boasts actors David Garrick and writer Oliver Goldsmith amongst its patrons.

Over in North London, Curtain Road, actor manager Robert Burbage was in charge of The Theatre, a very early playhouse. In 1598, he dismantled the building and transported it to Southwark. Parts of the building were then used to build The Globe in 1599. Expanding the successful business venue to house nearly 3,000 patrons.

Incidentally, Clink Street used to house one of the areas most notorious prisons and has given us the generic term Clink to mean prison.

To put matters further into historical truths, the ground you have just walked over will also have been trod by Shakespeare, Johnson, Dickens and Chaucer. Your are in esteemed company.

Explain the route to Market Brewery, Brew Wharf and Bishop's Brewery (Southwark).

Exit Borough Market into Southwark Street.

Hop Exchange building, ask and you may be granted permission to view the inside.

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View terracotta frontage to May's Hop Factors - what is the inside of the pub.

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Cross Borough High Street to the George.

The George is famous as being the sole remnant of the great galleried coaching inns of London.

On one side is White Hart Yard mentioned by Shakespeare in Henry VI and where the Pickwickenians met Sam Weller.

The other side is Tabard Yard, site of the Tabard Inn where Chaucer's famous pilgrims gathered before their trek to Canterbury. Its age is proven by it appearing in John Stow's survey of London in 1598. It is said, unproven, that a young Shakespeare performed from the back of a cart in the yard. This particular building dates from 1676 after being rebuilt following a fire. It is also mentioned by Dickens in Little Dorrit. Sadly it was partially demolished in 1889 by the Great Northern Railway when they expanded their goods depot.

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Even though the current St Thomas' Hospital is over adjacent to Westminster Bridge, there was an earlier one here which would have been known to Shakespeare. Certainly Southwark Cathedral was known by him.

Walk down Tooley Street, to Shand Street to see Noakes & Co. Ltd.

Then Sarson's Brewery. This latter is a restored brewery but sadly never brewed beer!

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Return to Tower Bridge Road and cross to the east side following the signs for the Engine House. Descend the stair case to Shad Thames to view the remains of Courage & Co. Ltd's, Anchor Brewery. Now a set of luxury apartments with unparalleled views of Tower Bridge. There is a plaque on the wall detailing the brew house history.

The whole of this area was part of the brewery and its stores.

With your back to the river head south to Queen Elizabeth Street. Turn into Queen Elizabeth Street (east) and half way down there is a large statue. This is of one of the last drays used in Courage's Brewery.

Go to the end of Queen Elizabeth Street and turn right (south). When you get to the railway bridge, turn right (west) and just under one of the arches is the brewery of the Southwark Brewing Company.

Stop a while and sample their traditional and craft beers. Also the start of the legendary Bermondsey Mile.

The walk ends here but there is much to see and do in this area, and just a short walk back to London Bridge station.