The Bermondsey Foreshore

Our area of potential research runs from St. Saviour’s Dock near Butler’s Wharf on the south bank of the river, to Rotherhithe old village, taking in Cherry Garden Pier.
Most of the old warehouses have gone, but there are many clues as to what went on there on the dockside and foreshore. There are lots of artefacts that can be found on the foreshore, such as pottery fragments, including sugar moulds, nail scatters from a shipbreaker’s yard, a ship’s capstan (timber winding mechanism used to wind ropes etc.), a possible timber fish trap and bulky wooden ships timbers that were used to create a hard standing at low tide for barges to rest upon.

One of the few old buildings that survived the Blitz and the property developers of the last couple of decades, is the Angel public house. Overlooking the river, it’s become our post-foreshore visit meeting house. We are in good company there: Samuel Pepys would stop off here for “refreshments” on his way to the Navy’s victualing yards at Deptford.

There is a lot to explore , so do come and join us! All fully trained FROG members are welcome. To find out more, please contact the Bermondsey FROG Champion,
Peter Baistow by email., or you can leave your contact details with the TDP staff who will be happy to pass these along to Peter.