Borough and Bermondsey: the back story

About Borough and Bermondsey: the back story

By the ULTIMATE London Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Behind London Bridge, Borough and Bermondsey were for centuries the gateway to the City from the south, a district of inns, markets and warehouses.

Borough High Street

Travellers from Kent and the south coast arrived along Borough High Street, which was lined with coaching inns; The George, rebuilt in 1677, is the last galleried survivor.

The market

Borough Market has traded near the bridge for centuries and is now London’s best-known food market.

Every road from the south once led to London Bridge, and through Borough.

Bermondsey’s warehouses

East along the river, Bermondsey’s wharves and warehouses, such as those of Shad Thames by Tower Bridge, stored tea, spices and grain; many are now homes and restaurants.

Railway arches

Victorian railway viaducts carry trains into London Bridge, and their arches now house bakeries, breweries and the stalls of Maltby Street Market.

Our advice: graze Borough Market on a weekday, walk east through Shad Thames, and spend a Saturday at Maltby Street under the arches.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Borough and Bermondsey: the back story before you go.