Southwark Cathedral, London
Locals call it "Suth-uck," but you can just call it London鈥檚 oldest Gothic church鈥攁nd one of its best-kept secrets. Parts of Southwark Cathedral hail from the 12th century, though you wouldn鈥檛 know it from the modest tourist traffic. Inside, you'll stumble across all kinds of treasures, like a late-13th-century wooden knight who鈥檚 been lying down on the job for about 700 years.
Southwark started life as a priory, became a palace church for Henry VIII, and was eventually bought by a plucky group of merchants in 1611. With a bit of a Victorian glow-up during the 1800s, it officially got its cathedral badge in 1905 (better late than never). The building took quite a beating during the London Blitz鈥攁bout 1,600 bombs were dropped on the site鈥攁nd you can still spot the scars on its outer walls if you look closely.
Now, if you鈥檙e in a browsing mood, look up at the colorful 15th-century roof bosses鈥攂asically medieval doodles carved in wood鈥攁nd don鈥檛 miss the tomb of poet John Gower. The latter was pals with Geoffrey Chaucer ("father of English literature", best known for The Canterbury Tales) and once served as poet laureate to Richard II. Fancy...
There鈥檚 also the Harvard Chapel, marking the baptism spot of John Harvard鈥攜es, that very Harvard鈥攖he local lad who went off and founded a university in the U.S. you might have heard of.
Back in Shakespeare鈥檚 day, Southwark wasn鈥檛 just the place to pray鈥攊t was the place to play. Theaters like The Globe, The Rose, and The Swan turned the area into London鈥檚 entertainment hotspot. William himself bunked nearby for a while, close enough to hear the cathedral bells, and he used to worship here, too.
Was he a regular churchgoer? Hard to say. Shakespeare鈥檚 religious leanings are about as clear as a London fog. But his friends certainly showed up here. Even Shakespeare鈥檚 younger brother, Edmund鈥攁n actor like his big bro鈥攚as buried here in 1607.
Today, the cathedral tips its hat to the Bard with a stunning memorial: a reclining Shakespeare statue, casually lounging beneath a stained glass window sparkling with scenes from his plays. It鈥檚 literary London at its finest.
Before you leave, wander through the churchyard, now a lovely herb garden, and follow the charming Millennium Courtyard right down to the river. It鈥檚 history, drama, and a breath of fresh air鈥攁ll tucked just out of sight from the tourist crowds.
Southwark started life as a priory, became a palace church for Henry VIII, and was eventually bought by a plucky group of merchants in 1611. With a bit of a Victorian glow-up during the 1800s, it officially got its cathedral badge in 1905 (better late than never). The building took quite a beating during the London Blitz鈥攁bout 1,600 bombs were dropped on the site鈥攁nd you can still spot the scars on its outer walls if you look closely.
Now, if you鈥檙e in a browsing mood, look up at the colorful 15th-century roof bosses鈥攂asically medieval doodles carved in wood鈥攁nd don鈥檛 miss the tomb of poet John Gower. The latter was pals with Geoffrey Chaucer ("father of English literature", best known for The Canterbury Tales) and once served as poet laureate to Richard II. Fancy...
There鈥檚 also the Harvard Chapel, marking the baptism spot of John Harvard鈥攜es, that very Harvard鈥攖he local lad who went off and founded a university in the U.S. you might have heard of.
Back in Shakespeare鈥檚 day, Southwark wasn鈥檛 just the place to pray鈥攊t was the place to play. Theaters like The Globe, The Rose, and The Swan turned the area into London鈥檚 entertainment hotspot. William himself bunked nearby for a while, close enough to hear the cathedral bells, and he used to worship here, too.
Was he a regular churchgoer? Hard to say. Shakespeare鈥檚 religious leanings are about as clear as a London fog. But his friends certainly showed up here. Even Shakespeare鈥檚 younger brother, Edmund鈥攁n actor like his big bro鈥攚as buried here in 1607.
Today, the cathedral tips its hat to the Bard with a stunning memorial: a reclining Shakespeare statue, casually lounging beneath a stained glass window sparkling with scenes from his plays. It鈥檚 literary London at its finest.
Before you leave, wander through the churchyard, now a lovely herb garden, and follow the charming Millennium Courtyard right down to the river. It鈥檚 history, drama, and a breath of fresh air鈥攁ll tucked just out of sight from the tourist crowds.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Southwark Cathedral on Map
Sight Name: Southwark Cathedral
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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