Southwark Cathedral is located on the south side of the Thames, near London Bridge.

There is evidence to suggest that a religious community of nuns was located on this site as early as the 7th century, but the first written mention of a “minister” of Southwark was in the Domesday Book in 1086.

The church was made into a priory by two Norman knights in 1106. It was dedicated to St Mary and run by Augustinians who created a hospital next to the church which is the predecessor of the modern day St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

The church went through an interesting history over the years, as it was administered by the Bishop of Winchester.

The building as it stands now was built between 1220 and 1420 which makes it the oldest Gothic church in London. It was damaged by fire and rebuilt several times over the years.

The church was taken over by Henry VII who renamed it St Saviour’s and rented the structure back to the congregation.

By 1611, when the parishioners bought the church back from James I for £800, the area it served was bustling with activity as merchants, actors, craftsmen, and women from the brothels of Bankside filled the streets. This is the Southwark of Shakespeare, he certainly worshipped at the church and his brother, Edmund, was buried here in 1607.

In 1905, St Saviour’s Church became Southwark Cathedral, and now serves a diocese comprised of over 300 parishes with a total population of 2.5 million people.

There are many interesting things to see in the church. There is a memorial to William Shakespeare, with a statue of the bard reclining and a stained glass window depicting scenes from his plays. Another famous person of Southwark, John Harvard, has been honoured by the dedication of the Harvard Chapel.

There is a beautiful stained glass window showing St John baptizing Christ that was damaged terribly along with most of the chapel during the bombings of the Second World War but was restored because of funding from Harvard alumni.

The cathedral continues to play a vital role in the life of the city, offering a place of worship to the people of Bankside as it has done for centuries.

London Bridge, Bankside, SE1 9DA

Telephone: 020 7367 6700

Email cathedral@southwark.anglican.org

Opening Times

Weekdays 8am-6pm, Weekends 9am-6pm

Photo courtesy: Beyond the Lens

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