To celebrate our forthcoming Bleeding London evening on 31st October, heres another of our favourite London streets. This time Neil Sinclair chooses the atmospheric Shad Thames

Shad Thames (photo copyright Neil Sinclair)

Shad Thames in Bermondsey takes its name from a church called St John at Thames which stood on the site until 1836. The church in turn was built upon a mill and manor house belonging to the Order of St John, the military and religious order set up to defend the hospital in Jerusalem.

In 1856 Shad Thames was still described as “a narrow street, running along the water-side, through the ancient Liberty of St. John, from Pickle Herring to Dockhead.” by the Surrey Archaeological Society. The street changed dramatically in 1873 with the building of the huge warehouses that dominate Shad Thames today, storing huge quantities of tea and coffee. By the 1970s most of the warehouses were no longer in use, leaving the street empty and unloved. This was used to great effect in the Doctor Who episode Resurrection of the Daleks After the Daleks moved out the Design Museum moved in and the street began a renaissance with restaurants like Le Pont De Le Tour opening, and making Shad Thames a lively street once more.

Neil will be leading our Shakespeare on Bankside walk on 20th October as part of our Literary Footprints Festival