Other

wherrymen seat

Inscription

{On the modern plaque above:}
The Ferryman's seat located on previous buildings at this site was constructed for the convenience of Bankside watermen who operated ferrying services across the river. The seat's age is unknown but it is thought to have ancient origins.
Historic Southwark

Site: wherrymen seat (1 memorial)

SE1, Bankside, Riverside House

From the middle ages on, the south bank, lying outside the area regulated by the City, tended to be the place of recreation: theatres, brothels and bear-baiting (as you do). The City became even stricter in 1572 when theatres and players were banned entirely from the City - well illustrated in this map of Elizabethan theatres.  To reach these southern pleasures the residents of London, mostly living to the north, had to be ferried across the river.  Hence the need for watermen, or wherrymen, and seats where they could rest while their fares partook of the entertainments.  The seats must have started gathering dust in 1642 when the Puritans closed all theatres.  And brothels and bear-baiting pits as well, we imagine.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
wherrymen seat

Subjects commemorated i

Thames watermen

From the earliest days until the mid-18th century the Thames was the preferre...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
wherrymen seat

Created by i

Southwark Council

The London Borough of Southwark was created as an amalgamation of the Metropo...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Borough Market Bell (2)

Borough Market Bell (2)

SE1, Middle Road, Borough Market

The bell says 'Since 1754', whilst the accompanying plaque says the market opened in 1756. We have tried to establish which of the dates ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Mac

Mac

EC3, Bell Inn Yard, St Michaels Cornhill Garden

This bird bath looks like it was erected sometime about 1980 - 2000, but we can find no clue about Mac and who loved him/her. Can anyone...

1 subject commemorated
River Tyburn - W1

River Tyburn - W1

W1, Marylebone Lane, 108

Occupied by a restaurant, One08, who, disappointingly, don't make a feature of the stained glass window on their website.  We'd hoped to ...

2 subjects commemorated, 5 creators
Emanuel Swedenborg

Emanuel Swedenborg

E1, The Highway, Swedenborg Gardens

When the church was here the address was Prince's Square. Our pin is positioned on the font, the boards around the trees are to the west ...

1 subject commemorated
Virtues - Defiance

Virtues - Defiance

WC2, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery - Staircase Hall - North Vestibule

In front of the white cliffs of Dover Winston Churchill, in his signature siren suit, makes a fist with his right hand and a V-sign with ...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

Heritage Foundation

Heritage Foundation

We believe this group now encompasses Comic Heritage, Musical Heritage, Sports Heritage and Films and Television Heritage. Its aim is to pay tribute to Britain's entertainers and raise funds for go...

Group, Cinema, History, Humour, Music / songs, Sport / Games, Theatre, TV & Radio

64 memorials
Austrian Centre

Austrian Centre

A social, cultural and political hub for Austrian exiles from the Nazis. The Centre housed a library, restaurant, theatre, political cabaret, concert venue and functioned as a publisher. It also of...

Group, Nationalism, Austria

1 memorial
Ivy Molly Bolton

Ivy Molly Bolton

Known as Molly. Bolton joined the Fabian Society in 1916, and became private secretary to Beatrice and Sidney Webb. She then became secretary of the Fabian Local Government and Research Bureau, an...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial