Shadwell’s Maritime Heritage

Starts at 285 Commercial Road Stepney London E1 2PS

48 minutes | 1.6miles 2.6km | Leisurely

ID: 193.12 | Developed by: Mary Gough | Checked by: Maria Quesada | www.walkingroutes.org

An interesting walk with a maritime theme. Visit St Paul’s historic Church of Sea Captains. Explore Shadwell Basin, built as an extension of London Docks and pass the Willoughby Memorial, a tribute to those who died on NW Passage Expedition

Starts at
Tower Hamlets Community Housing 285 Commercial Road 285 Commercial Road, Stepney London E1 2PS

Getting there
The nearest stations are Shadwell DLR or Shadwell Overground. Walk north for a few minutes, along Watney Street, to the beginning of Watney Market, where you can start and finish the walk. (Waymark 10). Turn right into Tarling Street to start.

Route instructions
[1] Leave the centre and turn right, along Commercial Road. Shortly turn left and use the pedestrian lights to cross into Watney Market and continue through market until the end of the pedestrian area. Turn left into Tarling Street.

If starting from Shadwell Station then start and finish route at this point. (waymark 10)

Continue along right hand side of Tarling Street. Cross James Voller Way. Pass Bill Faust and Adam Meere Houses (named after two firemen who died fighting a fire at Bethnal Green Road.) At the end, turn right (Sutton Street) and use the pedestrian island just before the railway to cross to the left side, then pass under the railway.

At the crossroads, use the zebra crossing to cross into King David Lane and cross to the right hand side at a suitable opportunity. At the busy main road (The Highway), use the pedestrian lights on the right to cross and then turn left on the far side. In a while, turn right into St Paul’s Shadwell church gardens.

(A) St Paul’s was founded in 1656. Captain James Cook and Thomas Jefferson’s mother worshipped here. It was known as the ‘Church of Sea Captains’ and there are over 70 sea captains buried in the grave yard. John Wesley preached here a number of times and, indeed, preached his last sermon from the church’s pulpit before dying a few days later. The current ‘Waterloo’ church dates from 1820 and was funded by a parliamentary grant to celebrate the victory against Napoleon, at the Battle of Waterloo (1815).

[2] Go past the front of the church and follow the path around to the right and then left through the arch. Go down the steps and head for Shadwell Basin waterfront. (To avoid these steps, leave the Church onto the main road and continue along The Highway then turn right into Glamis Road, to rejoin the route at the bridge in (3) below.)

(B) Shadwell Basin was built in 1828-32, as part of the eastward expansion of the London Docks. Over the years, due to factors such as the increase in the size of the ships, these docks became inefficient and were eventually closed in 1969 and largely filled in. The area was derelict until it was redeveloped in 1987. Today the basin is used for water-sports.

[3] Turn left and go along the quayside with water on the right. Follow the quayside around to the right and then to left, towards the former lock. Go up to the bridge (re-join the route here, if you took the diversion). Turn left, crossing to right hand side. Immediately after the Sailing and Activities Centre, turn right alongside the King Edward Memorial Park football pitch and follow the path towards River Thames. Turn right at the round red brick building and pause for the view of the River Thames. Follow the path around the building, past (C) Willoughby Memorial, and then bear right away from the river. Keep the playground on your left and after the bowling green turn left.

In May 1553 Sir Hugh Willoughby, with three ships and 115 crew, left to search for the North-West Passage. Willoughby’s ship and one other were blown off course. Forced to make camp in Lapland, their food ran out and everyone died of starvation. Richard Chancellor, the captain of the surviving ship made it to northern Russia, only to be shipwrecked and drowned on the return voyage.

The round building, originally served as a pedestrian entrance for the (E) Rotherhithe Tunnel (1908). Designed for foot and horse drawn traffic, an unusual feature is the shallow depth, which necessitated sharp bends at each end, whilst also acting to stop the horses seeing daylight too early.

[4] Shortly, turn right to go through the subway and turn right up the ramp. At the main road, turn right into Glamis Road. Cross Glamis Place and cross to left hand side at a suitable opportunity. Go across the zebra crossing and turn left along Cable Street. Cross Johnson Street and shortly turn right into an estate road, alongside Thornwill House. Go through the barrier and pass the playground and ball park, to come out in Lukin Street. Go under the railway. Go under Bishop Challoner School building and cross to the left hand side at narrows. At the main road, turn left and shortly use the traffic lights to cross to the far right side and then continue along Commercial Road. Go past the (D)Synagogue of the Congregation of Jacob and cross Bromehead Street and Sidney Road to return to the centre.

The Synagogue (founded 1903) is one of only three synagogues in the East End, still functioning. Some 150 synagogues existed pre-war. The original congregation consisted of immigrants from Poland, Lithuania and Russia. The current building dates from 1921.

Acknowledgements
Developed by: Mary Gough
Checked by: Maria Quesada
Original route designed and developed by Brian Hunt, Dec 2010

Filed under: London Walking Routes
Tagged: Easy, London, maritime, Ramblers, Shadwell, walk, Walking
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