Guided Walk: Rotherhithe

Village of the Mayflower but so much more.  Rotherhithe is the heart of the port of London, operating from Roman times to the 1960s. Carrying cargoes of goods of all types, including human, to and from the rest of the world.[NP]This is an area that has reinvented itself over the years as the docks have ebbed and flowed.  Significantly it is where the Mayflower was berthed when the pilgrims came on board and where the boat herself was scrapped after the death of her master, Christopher Jones.  We will see the church where he is buried and look at other migrants who made the area their home.  We will see a school from the days of the pilgims, memorials built to commemorate those brave souls of the past and more.  There are Scandinavian connections, here and those from much further afield.[NP]Rotherhithe is almost certainly the village that provided the crew for the Mayflower, probably recruited from one of the local pubs.  There is still a pub on the site, opposite the Royal Manor house giving some idea of the rich diversity of the area.  We will end the tour in time for you to sample an ale and have lunch or an afternoon meal in one of the pubs we have seen on our walk.  If you can prove that you are descended from one of the pilgrims you may be able to sign the Descendants Book in the Mayflower Pub.[NP]This walk is provided by Heritage and Arts, the officially appointed Mayflower 400 guides for Southwark.  Click [here] for more details.