At Winchester Palace: visible traces of the Middle Ages
The surviving walls of the Great Hall at Winchester Palace bring Southwark’s medieval architecture to life. The west and south walls are on Clink Street, and the rose window can be seen on the west gable. The remains can be viewed from the outside at any time; the interior is not accessible. A medieval-style garden is located within the remains. The site thus combines surviving architecture with a landscaped garden.
Winchester Palace is on the Thames Path National Trail and very close to London Bridge station. Those interested in historic buildings will find visible parts of the Great Hall here rather than a fully preserved palace; the rose window is a distinctive feature of the west gable.
Theatre between open-air settings and candlelight
Theatre architecture also tells the story of different performance spaces. The Globe Theatre is a wooden open-air theatre without a roof. The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse offers a contrast: it is covered, wood-panelled and lit by candles. If you’d like to explore theatre history in greater depth, the Globe Theatre’s tours offer an insight into 400 years of history.
Art and history in different forms
St Saviour’s Church became Southwark Cathedral in 1905. Six of Southwark’s eight Scheduled Ancient Monuments are open to visitors. The remains of King Edward III’s moated manor house are near the Brunel Museum. Another architectural detail can be found at Bermondsey Square: the southwest tower of Bermondsey Abbey Church lies beneath a glass floor in the café there.
Tate Modern is in Bankside, inside a former power station and within the London Borough of Southwark. Admission is free, although some exhibitions charge an entrance fee. Bankside Gallery is on the Thames Path between Tate Modern and Blackfriars station. Admission is free there too. Southwark thus brings together a range of art and history experiences, from a repurposed power station to a gallery on the riverside path.
Southwark Park: history in a green setting
Southwark Park is in Bermondsey, near the banks of the Thames. It is a Grade II listed park and garden, covering 63 acres and including a lake and gardens. Open spaces provide room for walking, picnicking and playing, as well as enjoying the scenery. The park was designed by Alexander McKenzie and opened to the public in 1869.
Individual garden areas have their own history too: the Ada Salter Garden was created in 1936 as a semicircular herbaceous garden and named after Ada Salter. Southwark Park Galleries presents contemporary art. Wheelchair access is available throughout the park and in the café. The park therefore combines landscaped garden areas and art with open spaces for a range of activities.
Borough Market: areas, tours and history
Admission to Borough Market is free and open to everyone. Its three main areas are Three Crown Square, Green Market and Borough Market Kitchen. Tours include conversations and tastings with traders. This lets you explore the market’s different areas and, on a tour, hear from traders and sample their offerings.
The market’s history includes its relocation by local parishioners to a new site away from the main road. It remains there today. The market’s different areas, its tours and the story of its relocation offer a range of insights into Borough Market without limiting your visit to just one experience.
Discover more destinations: Camberwell, Rotherhithe, Southwark, Hackney, Merton, Brent, Camden, Redbridge.
For the main travel overview: Greater London.
