Granaries, Shipyards and Wharves - Cycling from Guildford

WALK B
SHIPYARDS, GRANARIES AND WHARVES
� START AT SURREY QUAYS UNDERGROUND STATION
SURREY QUAYS STATION opened with the first section
of the East London Railway between New Cross (the
present New Cross Gate) and Wapping on 7
December 1869. Until 17 July 1911, it was known as
“Deptford Road”, but was renamed “Surrey Docks”.
Almost 20 years after the last ship had left the docks,
the name SURREY QUAYS was adopted at the behest
of property developers on 24 October 1989. I believe
that a financial contribution was made towards the
cost of resigning and improving the station, but I do
regret the loss of the evocative old name.
� LEAVE STATION AT THE LOWER ROAD EXIT AND TURN RIGHT
Walk to the pedestrian crossing, and go over the road
to THE DOCKER’S SHELTER in REDRIFF ROAD and
pause. LOWER ROAD gets its name from the fact that
it was “the lower road to Deptford” to distinguish it
from the “upper” route following the river via
Rotherhithe Street. THE DOCKER’S SHELTER may well
be familiar, as it has been illustrated in several
publications dealing with the history of the docks.
However it should be noted that during the course of
“restoration” it was demolished, turned round
through 180 degrees, and re-erected on the other
side of REDRIFF ROAD… REDRIFF or REDRIFFE was a
name applied to Rotherhithe until the late 18th
century, and before that, had been applied to the
whole of the riverside from Bermondsey Wall to
GREENLAND DOCK. The origin is obscure, but some
maps and charts of the Thames show a reef of red
gravel in the river bed along part of the Rotherhithe
waterfront, so “Red Reef” is a possible source.
� WALK ALONG REDRIFF ROAD AND TURN RIGHT UP THE STEPS ON TO
THE RED LIFTING BRIDGE (THE HISTORY OF THIS BRIDGE IS GIVEN IN
WALK A) AND PAUSE AND ADMIRE THE VIEW ALONG GREENLAND DOCK
6 SOUTHWARK HISTORY WALKS