Bermondsey Square

Bermondsey Abbey, located around the modern-day Bermondsey Square.
Bermondsey Abbey archaeological dig, viewed from Tower Bridge Road, 5 March 2006.

Bermondsey Square is located on Tower Bridge Road in Bermondsey, part of the London Borough of Southwark, in south London, England. The location was formerly the site of the 11th century Bermondsey Abbey.

Archaeological excavations were undertaken in 2005–6 by Pre-Construct Archaeology.[1] The earliest medieval remains found were a Norman church from around 1080, which was recorded in the Domesday Book. The area has subsequently undergone redevelopment and Bermondsey Square now contains apartments, offices, a boutique hotel, restaurants and an independent cinema.[2] The area was named as South London's coolest quarter in Vogue's annual Secret Address Book.

Bermondsey Market is an antiques market located at Bermondsey Square, which operates every Friday.[3]

Long Lane leads northwest to Borough High Street. This lane used to link the Abbey with St George the Martyr church on the High Street.[4] To the west and heading north from the square is Bermondsey Street, leading to Tooley Street and London Bridge station about ten minutes walk away.

History

Bermondsey Square was formerly called the Court Yard and was and originally the main quadrangle of Bermondsey Abbey.[5] There was once a Chapel erected in 1699 by a Puritan divine. The chapel was subsequently a wool warehouse before it was demolished. At the entrance of the square, between the King John's Head public house and an oil shop, was the Abbey's gatehouse, which was removed in the early 19th century. Between the entrance to the Long Walk and a salt warehouse stood the Mansion House, built using material taken from the Abbey.

References

  1. ↑ Archaeological Excavations at Bermondsey Square, Southwark Council.
  2. ↑ Bermondsey Square.
  3. ↑ Bermondsey Antiques Market, Southwark Council.
  4. ↑ H.E. Malden (editor), The borough of Southwark: Introduction, A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 4 (1912), pp. 125–135.
  5. ↑ Bermondsey Square & Abbey.

External links

Coordinates: 51°29′51″N 0°04′52″W / 51.4974°N 0.0811°W

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