London Borough of Southwark
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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Tower of London
620 m
The Shard
441 m
London Bridge
726 m
Tower Bridge
434 m
Tower Bridge
434 m
Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom
678 m
Globe Theatre
1 km
Tate Modern
1.4 km
Shakespeare's Globe
1.3 km
Imperial War Museum London
2.1 km
Goldsmiths, University of London
4.5 km
Borough Market
754 m
The Den
2.8 km
Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Tower Hamlets
637 m
White Tower
618 m
The Old Vic
2 km
Guy's Hospital
443 m
Jewel House
614 m
Southwark Cathedral
706 m
Regent's Canal
3.1 km
Prospect of Whitby
2.1 km
City Hall
218 m
Blackfriars Bridge
1.8 km
Strata SE1
1.8 km
Horniman Museum and Gardens
7.1 km
Traitors' Gate
515 m
The George Inn
663 m
Statue of Alfred the Great
1 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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