Southwark Cathedral, London
The Shakespeare Monument in Southwark Cathedral.
Interactive satellite map of Southwark Cathedral. For a larger view,
see our London Map or Google Earth download.
Southwark Cathedral in London has a long and illustrious history and is well worth a visit. Officially named the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark (pronounced "suth-ark") Cathedral lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge.
History
There's been a church on this site, in the heart of London's first theater district, for more than a thousand years.
A Roman villa is believed to have occupied the site prior to that; in 1977 a well was discovered beneath the choir, which contained a pagan statue believed to have been put there in the fourth century.
The first conclusive proof of a church comes in the Domesday Book of 1086; a new church was built in 1106 and named St Mary Overie ("over the river"). St. Mary Overie was founded by the knights William Pont de l'Arche and William Dauncey and served by Regular Canons of St Augustine.
In 1212, the original Norman church was almost completely destroyed in a fire. Successive buildings were also severely damaged. The present building dates from the 15th century and was partly rebuilt in 1890.
In 1424, James I of Scotland married Mary Beaufort at the St. Mary Overie Church. During the reign of Mary Tudor, Stephen Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester, held a consistory court in the retro choir that condemned seven Protestants ("the Marian martyrs") to death.
In 1539, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, King Henry VIII closed the priory and made the main building a parish church called St. Saviour. Tired of paying rent for the church to the Crown, the parishioners banded together and bought the church from James I in 1614. They renovated the church and appointed their own clergy.
In the 17th century, the great playwrights Williams Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer worshipped at Southwark Cathedral. Shakespeare is believed to have been present when John Harvard, founder of the American university, was baptized here in 1607.
The parish church earned the appellation "cathedral" in 1907 when it became the seat of the Anglican bishop of the new Diocese of Southwark.
What to See
The nave of Southwark Cathedral is relatively recent; it was begun in 1890 as part of the process of turning the parish church into a cathedral.
Within the nave traces of the older churches can be seen. In the south aisle there remain traces of the thirteenth-century arcading, while in the north aisle are the remains of two Norman doorways. A wooden effigy of a knight dates from 1275.
The north aisle also contains the colorful medieval canopied tomb of John Gower (d. 1408). Gower was the first English poet, court poet to Richard II and Henry IV and a close friend of Geoffrey Chaucer. A recumbent effigy of Gower adorns the tomb, his head resting on copies of his three greatest works.
Southwark Cathedral's cloister-style courtyard is on the site of the original cloister used when the cathedral was a riverside priory. The Millennium Project development to the north of the cathedral includes a refectory and a shop with specially commissioned Southwark products. The old and new buildings are separated by an ancient alleyway which has reopened as a glazed street called Lancelot's Link.
A Shakespeare birthday service is held annually at Southwark Cathedral, and inside is a memorial to the playwright. Beneath a stained glass window depicting characters from Shakespeare's plays is a recumbent alabaster figure of the Bard, set against a relief of 17th-century Southwark showing the Globe Theatre, Winchester Palace and the tower of St Saviour's.
Lunchtime concerts are regularly given on Monday and Tuesday; call for exact times and schedules.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Southwark Cathedral; Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie |
| Type of site: | Cathedral |
| Faith: | Anglican (originally Roman Catholic) |
| Date: | Mainly 15th century |
| Location: | Montague Close, London Bridge, SE1, London, England |
| Phone: | 020/7367-6734 |
| Tube: | London Bridge |
| Hours: | Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm |
| Cost: | Free admission; suggested donation £4. Cathedral exhibition £3 adults, £2.50 students and seniors, and £1.50 children |
| Services: | Sunday: 9am Eucharist, 11am Choral Eucharist. Weekdays: Eucharist at 8:15am and 12:45pm; Evensong at 5:30pm. |
More Information
- Southwark Cathedral - official website
- Southwark Cathedral Service - Mystery Worshiper
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