Rotherhithe

The Thames path along the north side of the Thames from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf is well-known, taking in several ancient pubs through Wapping and a ton of Dockland history before finally ending up in Canary Wharf itself. The best thing about the northern path is the sheer number of 'secret' bits of London you encounter - everything from Wapping Old Stairs to pirate execution spot Execution Dock and one of London's best pubs, The Prospect of Whitby.

With the idea that the south side must be equally interesting given the sheer amount of history associated with the area, I headed for Rotherhithe to join the Thames Path, and then headed east.

The first place of interest, on Lower Road, is the Swedish Seaman's Mission. According to Wikipedia it's still a place of Lutheran worship, alongside several other Nordic churches in the area, and also offers accomodation. It's certainly one of the longest words you'll see on the exterior of a building in London.


Onwards into Southwark Park, where up until recently the late-19th century bandstand had a piano in it that anyone could play as part of the London-wide Steet Pianos project.


Coming out of the park and across 4 traffic-choked lanes of Jamaica Road, it's then a short distance before you arrive at the River Thames. There's a path of sorts that traverses its shoreline, though plenty of the bland 'executive' housing lining the river seems to have taken liberties and fenced parts of it off under dubious legality.

Slightly east of here must be one of London's most depressing statues. It's of Dr Alfred Salter, who worked to alleviate poverty in the area in the early 20th Century.


His daughter tragically died of scarlet fever aged 8, and the artist has thoughtfully frozen Dr Salter staring over at her playing in perpetuity.

A few hundred metres from here is St Mary's of Rotherhithe. The graveyard contains numerous graves dating back to the 1700s as well as commemorations to the Mayflower, which began its transatlantic voyage from a spot on the river near here.


On the side of St Mary's:
Figurines on the school opposite, dated 1741:

The tomb of Prince Lee Boo is also at St Mary's, a Pacific Islander brought back to London in the late 1700s who was briefly very famous. He lasted only 5 months after arriving in London, dying of smallpox.


Not far from here is the first of many salty riverside pubs, this one aptly named The Mayflower.

The path then narrows, going through some old dock buildings, before coming out in a small square next to the Brunel Museum. The museum commemorates the Thames Tunnel, a joint project by Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Outside is a bench in the shape of Tower Bridge.

Part II coming soon...