London Borough of Southwark, Administrative district in South London, United Kingdom
Southwark is an administrative district on the south bank of the Thames with residential neighborhoods, cultural institutions and commercial areas stretching from Westminster Bridge in the west to Tower Bridge in the east. The territory covers neighborhoods such as Bermondsey, Camberwell and Peckham with parks, breweries and social housing estates.
Roman engineers built the first bridge over the Thames here in 43 and established a settlement at the southern bridgehead. The borough was created in 1965 by merging three smaller administrative units under the London Government Act.
The name comes from an Anglo-Saxon term meaning southern defensive work, recalling its early role as a fortified riverside settlement. Today the South Bank theaters and the food stalls at Borough draw crowds from across the city.
Pedestrians reach the northern sections via footbridges and Underground stations along the Thames, while the southern neighborhoods are served by bus routes. Offices and information points are located near London Bridge station.
Clink Prison stood here from the 12th century until its closure in 1780 and gave the English slang word for jail its name. A replica of the dungeon now sits in an alley near the cathedral and displays torture instruments from the era.
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