Southwark
Until time travel is possible, a visit to Southwark might be the next best thing. Encompassing Roman ruins and the gleaming Shard skyscraper, via a glimpse of Shakespeare’s London at the Globe theatre, it’s an amazing snapshot of the capital’s history.
The inner-city borough is where London’s first bridge across Thames was built, at least 1,600 years ago. For centuries it was the only bridge, making it a hugely strategic site – and where many traitors’ heads were displayed on spikes.
Around the historic Southwark Cathedral, the foodie delights of Borough Market draw in the crowds. There’s also the option of a pint in nearby pub The George, London’s last galleried coaching inn with a preserved two-storey gallery looking over the courtyard.
In 2000, Bankside Power Station reopened as Tate Modern, a gallery showing modern and contemporary art.
Borough Market with The Shard rising above it
Collections
A General View of the Remains of Bermondsey Abby, Surry (coloured engraving)
Whichelo, C.J.M., Wilkinson, Robert
1820
A horse-drawn cart unloads paper from the S.S. Castor, Surrey Commercial Docks (gelatin silver print)
Avery, John Henry
1922-08-02
A New Panorama of London (hand coloured aquatint)
Ingamells, Andrew
2000
A regular customer at M. Manze's eel and pie shop, Peckham. (silver gelatin print)
Clunn, Chris
1994
A Routemaster bus stuck in traffic on London Bridge during rush hour (silver gelatin print)
Lewis, Barry
1978
A View of London Bridge in the Year 1616, from an Engraving by John Visscher (lithograph)
Visscher, John, Martin, Robert
1840-1860
A view of London Bridge in the Year 1647 from an Engraving by Hollar (lithograph)
Hollar, Wenceslaus
1841-1860
A view of part of the intended bridge at Blackfriars, London (etching)
Piranesi, Giovanni Battista
1766
A View of the South Front of the North Side of the Marshalsea Prison (engraving)
Lewis, James
1773; 1812
A young pupil at the Old Kent Road School for the Deaf (negative)
Grant, Henry
1950-1959
Abbilding der Statt London, sambt dem erschrocklichen brandt daselsten fo 4 tagen lange gewehrt hatt (copper engraving)
Merian, Matthaus the Younger
1670
