Virginia Quay Settlers Monument

The Virginia Quay Settlers Monument is a historic memorial on the Thames riverbank in Tower Hamlets, featuring a polished granite plinth topped with a mariner's astrolabe sculpture. The structure sits on a paved terrace directly facing the water and holds Grade II listed status.

Three vessels departed from this riverside location in December 1606 to establish what would become the first permanent English settlement in North America, known as Jamestown. This expedition represented a turning point in English colonial ambitions across the Atlantic.

The memorial honors the sailors who departed from this Thames location to establish a distant colony across the Atlantic. It marks a departure point that changed the course of exploration and settlement, connecting England to a new continent.

The monument sits on a paved terrace at Virginia Quay, easily reached through the residential area of Jamestown Way in London E14. This location offers waterfront access in a modern, developed harbor district with good walkability.

A bronze commemorative plaque from 1928 records the names of the expedition captains and voyage details for posterity. The memorial displays the flags of three nations, symbolizing the cross-border connections created by this historic journey across the Atlantic.

Location: London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Inception: 1999

Creator: Wendy Taylor

GPS coordinates: 51.50792,0.00036

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:06