Discover Southwark: Theatre, Art and Historic Sites

Preserved palace walls, a wooden open-air theatre and a listed park reveal different sides of Southwark. Its attractions range from historical traces and stages to art venues and gardens. As you plan your trip, consider whether theatre, architecture, art or green spaces are your priorities: each of the following places has its own focus.

Historical traces in Southwark

The surviving west and south walls of the Great Hall of Winchester Palace are on Clink Street. The west gable features a rose window; the remains of the Great Hall also contain a medieval-style garden. The palace is on the Thames Path National Trail and very close to London Bridge station. It can be viewed from outside at any time, but the interior is not accessible.

Southwark’s history can also be read in specific buildings and remains elsewhere. St Saviour's Church became Southwark Cathedral in 1905. The Domesday Book of 1086 mentions a “minster.” Of the eight Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Southwark, six can be visited. Near the Brunel Museum are the remains of King Edward III’s moated manor house.

Theatre and art

The Globe Theatre is a wooden, open-air theatre without a roof. The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is architecturally different: it is enclosed, wood-panelled and lit by candles. Those interested in performance spaces can compare these two different types of buildings. The Shakespeare's Globe exhibition presents 400 years of history; tours of the Globe Theatre bring that history to life.

Tate Modern is located in Bankside in the London Borough of Southwark and is housed in a former power station. Admission is free, but some exhibitions require a ticket. The Bankside Gallery is on the Thames Path between Tate Modern and Blackfriars station; admission there is also free. If you are planning to visit exhibitions, it is worth keeping in mind the difference between free entry to Tate Modern and the paid admission for some individual exhibitions.

Southwark Park and its gardens

Southwark Park is in Bermondsey, near the banks of the Thames. The park and garden is Grade II listed and covers 63 acres. Its features include a lake and gardens; its open spaces offer room to walk, picnic and play, as well as enjoy the scenery. The park was designed by Alexander McKenzie and opened to the public in 1869.

The Ada Salter Garden is a special feature. It was created in 1936 as a semicircular herbaceous garden and named after Ada Salter. Southwark Park Galleries also showcases contemporary art. For practical planning, it is worth noting that the entire park and café are wheelchair accessible. The garden and park’s history, open spaces and art offer different reasons to include Southwark Park in your travel plans.

Borough Market

Admission to Borough Market is free and it is open to everyone. Its three main areas are called Three Crown Square, Green Market and Borough Market Kitchen. Tours include conversations and tastings with traders. The market’s history also tells a story of change: local parishioners moved it away from the main road to a new location, where it remains today.

You can explore Southwark according to a range of interests: from the surviving walls of Winchester Palace and the different types of theatre to art venues, parks and the market. Each place offers its own focus, so your trip need not be limited to just one kind of attraction.

Discover more destinations: Camberwell, Rotherhithe, Southwark, Kingston Upon Thames, Kensington And Chelsea, Haringey, Lewisham, Wandsworth.

For the main travel overview: Greater London.