St Saviour's Dock (London)

United Kingdom / England / London
 water, dock (maritime)
Originally the mouth of the River Neckinger, it was embanked as part of major infrastucture works by the monks of Bermondsey Abbey. Later, there was a gibbet on the waterfront where pirates were hanged using the "Devil's Neckinger" or Neckcloth. The area was heavily populated by the late 17th century and deteriorated into the "Venice of Drains"described by Charles Dickens. Part of his novel, Oliver Twist was set here. The later Victorians cleared the older slums and built warehouses and mills, some of which survive, converted into flats. There is a fantastic view along the dock from the footbridge at the north end.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Saviour's_Dock
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   51°30'5"N   -0°4'19"E
This article was last modified 13 years ago