London Bridge & Southwark: Private Half-Day Walking Tour

Bridging the gapLondon Bridge – not to be confused with the more extravagant Tower Bridge – has perhaps the richest history of any bridge in London. Nearly 2000 years ago, the Romans constructed a succession of wooden crossings over the river and established the settlement called Londinium which became the Roman-British capital. With the end of Roman rule in the early 5th century, this early incarnation of our bridge fell into disrepair; it was rebuilt some time during the 9th or 10th centuries, possibly by Alfred the Great or Ethelred the Unready, and played an important role in conflicts with the Danish invaders. Throughout the early years following the Norman conquest of England the bridge was destroyed - by a tornado in 1091, and a fire in 1136 - and was rebuilt and strengthened with timber a number of times. Eventually, Henry II had it rebuilt in stone and created a special guild known as the Brethren of the Bridge to be responsible for its maintenance and upkeep. This arched structure had a drawbridge to allow large vessels to pass through, defensive gates at each end, and a chapel in the centre dedicated to the martyr Thomas Becket. Within a few years many shops and houses took up residence there and flourished. By the year 1500 there were about 200 buildings on the Bridge, making it look more like a floating town between London and Southwark. Murders and martyrsFrom the reign of Edward I until the reinstatement of King Charles in 1660, the south gate of the Bridge gruesomely displayed the spiked heads of executed criminals. The Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace was the first head to be placed there. This medieval bridge remained in use for an impressive 622 years until it was deemed necessary to rebuild in the 19th century. The resulting ‘New Bridge’ was then packed up and sold in sections to an American oil and motor tycoon in 1968, after it was decided that the location needed to change when the bridge started sinking. It remains in use in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, to this day. The London Bridge we see now, a concrete and steel box girder construction, was opened in 1973 and is about 30 meters upstream from the original location. Tombs and restaurantsOne of the best features the Bridge has to offer is ‘The London Bridge Experience’. This celebrated attraction gives tourists the history of the Bridge and takes you through the eerie hidden tunnels where actors will impersonate historical figures like the Keeper of Heads, who was responsible for displaying traitors’ heads on spikes during medieval times. This unique tour also takes you through the tombs underneath London. Terrifying ghouls and creeps of all kinds will jump out at you as you make your way through the underground labyrinth. The 19th century Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret is also located just by the bridge and is an interesting attraction for anyone keen on the history of modern surgery. Borough Market on Bankside is open Wednesday to Sunday and is always buzzing with people. It is the oldest food market in this ancient city, where you can find the best fresh produce from around the country, including cakes, cheeses, ciders, vegetables, meat and fish. There are also fantastic English restaurants close by such as Londinium, Roast, and Blueprint Café, which boasts excellent views. Many of the most famous buildings on the London skyline are accessible from London Bridge, including the Shard, a pyramidal glass structure which is the tallest building in Western Europe. Visitors to the Shard can climb to the top floors for exceptional views over London in all directions. Close by you can also find Southwark Cathedral, the oldest Gothic church in London, and celebrated wine-tasting centre Vinopolis.

An iconic battleship permanently moored on the Thames ,that once served in WW2.

Step back over 400 years in time as you duck below the top deck of Sir Francis Drake’s magnificent Golden Hinde. She was originally known, rather less grandly, as the Pelican, but upon reaching the coast of Brazil in 1578 Drake renamed her in honour of his patron, Sir Christopher Hatton, whose crest was a hind, or female deer. SwashbucklerIn 1577, Drake set off aboard his Pelican at the head of a fleet of five ships, personally tasked by Queen Elizabeth I to pass through the Strait of Magellan at the bottom of South America and explore the ocean beyond. At least, this was the plan that was broadcast. In fact, the two of them intended to cause as much damage to the Spaniards as possible, since tensions between the two nations had been brewing for several years. Drake spent three years circumnavigating the globe, buccaneering as he went, and capturing an enormous amount of Spanish loot. When he returned to Plymouth in 1580, Elizabeth personally went about the Hind and bestowed a knighthood on him. Walk the PlanksSadly, that original vessel ultimately rotted away after staying on display for over 100 years. However, the ship that sits just west of London Bridge today is an exact replica, named the Golden Hinde II. Stepping down into the bowels of the ship, you’ll get a fantastic insight into how the men would have lived here, and marvel at how an 80-strong crew could have existed together in such tight quarters for three whole years. Superb character actors are often put on to bring the displays to life, including barber-surgeons, privateers, and even Sir Francis himself.

The Globe Theatre was built by William Shakespeare's playing company in the 16th century, and its unique design inspired the current Shakespeare's Globe, which was rebuilt to be as close as possible to the original.It opened in 1997 with the production of Henry V as the opening play and was founded by actor and director, Sam Wanamaker.

Borough market is one of the oldest and largest markets in the UK, having celebrated its 1,000th birthday in 2014. You can find it on the southern side of Southwark cathedral, near London Bridge – you’ll often be able to hear it before you can see it. Fresh off the ShipsThe market has had a rollercoaster ride of riots, closures and changes of fortune over the centuries, but it was in the early 19th century that it really came into its own. Having recently been abolished by an act of parliament, local parishioners took the opportunity to move it to a nearby location. Their chosen site was near the burgeoning wharves near the Thames’ Pool of London, and trade soon began to flourish as tons of fresh produce were brought in from the ships every day. To cope with the boom, a grand set of market buildings was completed in 1851, and are still in use today. The famous Art-Deco entrance on Southwark Street was added in 1932. Taster TimeThese days, Borough Market is a prime location for foodies of all stripes, especially if you’re into speciality foods. Take wander down its crooked little streets and labyrinthine alleyways and you’ll find rare-breed meats from all over the world, as well as a superb range of fresh fish, fantastic cheese and, of course, the usual high-quality produce. Be sure to come with an appetite – there’s an excellent range of hot food traders here, and many of the stalls selling fresh stuff put out enticing trays of tasters to draw you in

Nick-named by Londoners 'the wobbly bridge' due to unexpected swaying in its early days, this pedestrian walkway over the Thames opened in June 2000.

With over a thousand years of history, Southwark Cathedral first shows up in history in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 in London. William Shakespeare most famous plays were performed here.