Bermondsey Square

Bermondsey Square lies in the London Borough of Southwark, just south of the Thames. The square occupies the former grounds of Bermondsey Abbey, founded in the 11th century. A Norman church built around 1080 appears in the Domesday Book of 1086. Bermondsey Market continues to meet weekly in the square. Redevelopment has added modern apartments, offices, a boutique hotel, restaurants and a contemporary art gallery. The square sits where Long Lane once linked the Abbey to St George the Martyr church. Bermondsey Street runs northwest from the square toward Tooley Street and London Bridge station. A Puritan chapel was erected in 1699 and later became a wool warehouse before demolition. The Abbey’s gatehouse stood near the King John’s Head public house until the early 19th century. Today the square contains a mix of old and new. The Arzner cinema shows queer films at number 10. The market stalls and surrounding buildings frame the former Abbey site. Visitors walk past the chapel’s former location and the site of the Mansion House. The square remains a lively place with shops, cafes and galleries.