• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Culture / Buildings / Great London Buildings: Southwark Cathedral

Great London Buildings: Southwark Cathedral

Oct 16, 2015 By John Rabon

 

Seen on a winter's day.

Near the famous London Bridge on the south bank of the Thames is Southwark Cathedral. The origins of the church are something of a mystery and while no one really knows when the first church building was constructed, but it is believed that a church has existed on the site for over 1,000 years. It’s from 16th Century historian John Stow who related reports of a woman named Mary who had used profits from a Thames ferry she inherited to start a nunnery in Southwark. It was believed that the nunnery existed well before the Normans came to London, possibly as early as the 7th Century. Prior to this, a Roman villa existed there and its pavement was incorporated into the floor. Excavation on the cathedral site in 1977 discovered a well and a pagan statue below the choir.

The first actual records of the church’s existence come from the Domesday Book in 1086, describing a “minister” or monastery existing in Southwark since the time of Edward the Confessor. Control of the church passed to Odo, the Bishop of Bayeaux and half-brother of King William I, then to William de Warrane, the Earl of Surrey. In 1106, two Norman knights named William Pont de l’Arche and William Dauncey “refounded” the church as a priory following the rule of St. Augustine of Hippo and renamed it St. Mary Overie (or “St. Mary Over the River”) for the woman who had allegedly founded the original church and to distinguish it from many other churches with the same name. In addition to the monastery, they built a hospital and counted on the patronage of the Bishops of Winchester, first William Guilford and then Henri of Blois, to construct and support St. Mary’s.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1212 when a fire destroyed significant portions of Southwark, including much of the church, hospital, and priory. The doorway on the north aisle of the nave is one the only remaining parts of the previous church. The Bishop of Winchester at the time, Peter des Roches, began the reconstruction effort and built the current cathedral in the Gothic style, becoming one of the first Gothic buildings in London and the oldest one still standing. Work began in 1215, the cathedral was consecrated by the bishop in 1260, and completed around 1283. Parts of the cathedral, including the south transept and the tower, had to be rebuilt following another fire in the 1390s. The nave roof later collapses in 1468 and the vault was rebuilt in wood. Bishop Richard Fox constructed the stone altar screen that separates the choir from the retro-choir in 1520.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

With the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, the cathedral was turned over to the Crown in 1540. King Henry VIII renamed it St. Saviour’s and leased it to the congregation as a parish church, an arrangement that remained until 1611 when a group of businessmen known as “The Bargainers” purchased the church from King James I for £800. During this period, the church developed a close relationship with Elizabethan dramatists, including William Shakespeare. The Bard’s brother, Edmund, was buried in the church in 1607 and one of the church’s stained-glass windows depicts scenes from his plays with an alabaster statue below that features a reclining Shakespeare writing with his quill.

By the 19th Century, the cathedral was in need of serious repairs and there was some discussion of tearing it down, along with London Bridge, and building a smaller church on the same site. Instead, while London Bridge’s demolition went ahead, the bridge committee opted to restore the Southwark Cathedral, yet parts of the church including the lady chapel were demolished. Architect George Gwilt came to the aid of the church and worked hard to repair and strengthen the nave and the tower, as well as restoring the aisles, choir, and retro-choir. The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, laid the foundation stone to the new nave in 1890.

In 1904, Parliament created the Diocese of Southwark and the following year renamed St. Saviour’s to Southwark Cathedral (with its official name as the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St. Saviour and St. Mary Overie). Like much of London, Southwark Cathedral did not escape the bombs of the London Blitz and sustained damage from shrapnel that is still visible on the outside of the church. More restoration and expansion took place in the 1990s to early 2000s, and in 2001, Nelson Mandela opened the northern cloister that includes a library, refectory, coffee shop, gift shop, conference centre, museum, education centre, and visitor centre. Both Mandela and Desmond Tutu have monuments in Southwark Cathedral today.

Moving further into the 21st Century, Southwark remains a working church and a daily place of worship for Londoners. In addition to a host of Sunday services, the cathedral hosts services for special groups throughout the week, so be sure to check the website for the best times to visit as a tourist or a worshipper.

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Buildings, Featured, Great London Buildings

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maureen says

    Oct 16, 2015 at 5:25 pm

    Last year I was wandering around Southwark Cathedral when I spotted a cat sitting on a velvet verger’s chair , over a heated floor vent. It was winter. I had noticed two bowls outside the cathedral door. I saw a verger and asked him the cat’s name . He said it was MagnifiCAT! I love that beautiful old building so full of history.

    • Brian says

      Oct 16, 2015 at 6:46 pm

      Wonderful story Maureen

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London
  • Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
  • New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World
  • Pollock’s Toy Museum in London Has Closed Unexpectedly
  • The Fiver:  Five Live-Action Children’s Shows Set in London
  • In Pictures: Winter Lights festival returns to London for first time since 2020

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in