Southwark Borough

The History of Manze's Pie & Mash

The History of Manze's Pie & Mash

Predictably for a dish with such proud British lineage, there is some debate over the history of pie and mash, where it began and with whom, but it is well known that M. Manze...

Behind The Names: London Borough of Southwark

Behind The Names: London Borough of Southwark

In the third installment of our series explaining the origins of the names of the areas of South London we will be focusing on the great London Borough of Southwark. Along with Lambeth, Lewisham and Greenwich it forms part of what we like to call the 'four shark teeth' of South London. We might have included Wandsworth in that list because it does look a little - actually a lot - like tiger shark tooth. Go on, search the boundaries of Wandsworth and then compare it against a tiger shark tooth. You'll see, you will all see. Anyway, less about fearsome fish and more about the reason behind the names of areas. Southwark is probably the installment we've looking forward to most because of some of the really curious names in the borough, like Denmark Hill or Elephant and Castle - frankly, we really cannot wait to explain it.

Blue Plaques of Peckham

Blue Plaques of Peckham

We thought it was high time we did a list of the blue plaques of one of South London's most well-known areas - Peckham. There is no doubt that Peckham is up there with Wimbledon and Greenwich as one of the place names most synonymous with South London, and this maybe down somewhat to the success of the sitcom Only Fools and Horses, which, as most of you probably know, was set in Peckham. A lot like much of South London, Peckham has a relatively low number of blue plaques, and there are actually only 3 'official' blue plaques in the whole area. Alongside these 'official' plaques, which are part of the scheme run by English Heritage and the London County Council before them, there are also plaques voted for by the people of Southwark. Though these are also blue, they don't have quite the same status as the others, but we thought we'd include them anyway because the people and things they commemorate are still significant. We have made it clear, however, whichplaques are Southwark plaques. So, without much further ado, here is our list of the blue plaques of Peckham.

Brief History of Borough Market

Brief History of Borough Market

Situated right next to Southwark Cathedral, Borough Market, in one form or another, has sat at the southern end of London Bridge for a very, very, very long time. It was there before a certain Norman chap with a penchant for conquering called Will turned up on Great Britain’s shores and it has seen several versions of the London Bridge come and go. Despite a brief demise in the 1700s, it has seen London cross the Thames, consume Southwark, and spread further and further south, and will likely do so for many years to come. Borough Market is, regardless of its long history, a special place. The atmosphere, the location, the people – it’s no surprise it’s such a hotspot for tourists. It is quite easy to forget that Borough Market is essentially a farmer’s market and would be a likely recipient of the ‘Most Improved Farmer’s Market Award 1014-2017’ if that award were actually given out. As such, we at South London Club think it is essential that we provide you with a brief history of the most famous and prestigious market in South London – Borough Market.

6 Beer Gardens in Southwark Borough to Try This Summer

6 Beer Gardens in Southwark Borough to Try This Summer

Beer gardens. A garden where you can consume your beer. A common mistake is that one cannot drink other beverages in a beer garden, don’t worry, one certainly can. Nor do beer gardens actually have to be particularly green, they can be completely paved. Beer gardens were once really only used in the summer, but they are now the main refuge of smokers throughout the entire year. Summer is, apparently, upon us, and we’re sure that you, like us, have been scouring the internet, or the actual real tangible world, for local establishments with the right beer garden. We love saving you time at South London Club, so we’ve compiled for you a list of 5 beer gardens to try in Southwark Borough.