I accompanied my dad throughout the 80s and 90s as an antique market trader at Bermondsey Square (where some ancient rule meant you could sell anything, stolen or otherwise, legally, under cover of darkness!) - which began at 2am and ended at midday, each Friday. The one thing I can't find a reference to anywhere, including the online archive of plague pits is that the square open area that remains in the middle had a roundabout in the middle of it covered in grass, with a metal fence and hedges around it and a small plaque saying it was a plague pit. I've assumed it's been 'buried' (pun intended) because properties don't market quite so well when they overlook a plague pit! Does anyone recall seeing the same sign in the middle of the square which was paved over around 2010?

once more, i say "and so to bed"! comforted by the efforts made in your walks, and the information they provide. my dear fellow, i must stress how terrific these are in buffering my mental health, as i am certain they provide the same harbour for others. peace and love from canada, john.

I worked on Bermondsey Adventure playground from 1978 until 1984. It was a fabulous community in spite of being economically wrecked by the closure of the docks at Rotherhithe just down the road, the death of "the print" in Fleet Street. Eight families were still living in post-war emergency prefab asbestos buildings. The lovely Rising Sun pub was run by Joyce Richardson who had been married to one of the Richardson gang folks. It was a superb pub - tons of stories from there that there's no room on here for!

That cybermen structure at the Elephant and castle is a sculpture commemorating Michael Faraday who invented the electric motor, transformer and generator. It covers up the substation for the underground.

Excellent and enlightening video. As a ‘Norf’ Londoner growing up in the 60’s & 70’s we very rarely ventured over the river. A few of us stumbled across St Saviours Dock in the mid to late 70’s when the weather put paid to our planned visit to ‘Skate City’ on the other side of Tower Bridge. We messed about in the then abandoned warehouses as kids do. Hard to believe they are now luxury apartments. If you can track down a copy of Derek Jarman’s somewhat bizarre film ‘Jubilee’ shot around the same time, you can see what St Saviours Dock looked like before becoming gentrified.

Wow your popularity is growing! I had no idea the Imperial War museum was once Bedlam...I work in social housing & it’s fascinating to see how much community still exists in many areas. I feel for those Haygate tenants. Decanting is usually temporary: someone might be decanted to a hotel while a flood is dealt with, for example. Sadly in your scenario, it’s more likely that the tenants have been re-homed, under homeless legislation they may have been in temporary accommodation while permanent solutions were found. I love the way you promote books & reading too.

Hello John. Very evocative walk. I lived just off Lambeth Walk in the early 90s and walked a lot in the area. Some of the back roads around there always reminded me of another time, pre -war for some reason. I love the names of of London’s lost rivers. The Cock and Pye Ditch for example. They make you wonder why they are so named and by whom. Keep up the good work mate! Jason.

Ahh .... so that’s the river Neckinger that runs into the Thames, I was there just 2 weeks ago, just love that stretch of the river! Cheers Nigel

Wow. I was at St Saviour’s dock the day this was posted and discovered Neckinger the same day! Madness!

Thrilling. Beormund's Ey! So great how the deeper stories you uncover give the present moment a sublime magic.

Thank you John. I watched with subtitles so it was the river Neck Injury for me!

I regard your so-called "mistakes" as actually fortuitous enlightenment. I learn so much from your rambles. Carry on John.

Hi John, I don't usually comment on KZfaq videos, but I had to make an exception in this case. I used to live on Brook Drive, from ages 0 to 11, late 70's early 80's. I went to nursery around the back of the war museum, and my primary was just across the road. I learned to ride my bike in the tennis courts in the park. I have so many fond memories of that area. My parents met while working at All Saints Hospital on Austral Street, which is now an annex for the war museum. We always suspected that a river must run beneath, or close by, the street. In fact, the tube line is not far below and we could hear it rumble through the house. I've not been back in a while, but I remember when the old Lambeth hospital (previously the work house) was still there, the weird old wooden houses, the London Park Hotel. Walcot Stores was owned by Mr & Mrs Patel and was featured in the old Crays film! My dad used to go to the Eagles pub with his brothers. The park was always called Bedlam, and we never knew why. Much later in life I found out about Bethlehem hospital and it all made sense. I went to the London College of Printing for uni. The cybermen building is in fact the Michael Faraday memorial (he was a local lad) that's also some sort of tube infrastructure. I cannot thank you enough for this video and for bridging back such lovely memories! Keep it up, I'll be sure to check out the other videos about Kennington!

Love your videos, John, and many thanks for all the wonderful walks. I beleive that as Jamaica Road approaches Borough it becomes Tooley Street, (where you were filming), and that Tooley Steet is a corruption of St Olaf Street. St Olaf's church is nearby. Olaf of course was the Scandanavian cheiftan who helped London resist one of many Dane invasions by roping a number of rowed vessels to London Bridge and pulling it down, thus preventing access to the city from the unguarded south. Thanks again, and see you on your next walk,...wherever that may be.

Thank you for such and entertaining walk. I love learning about lost rivers, the stories are fascinating.

A pleasure joining you. Really interesting and in particular I loved the evening captures of the river scene and illuminated buildings under the azure blue sky.

as someone else said these are episodes I always look forward to watching. As one of the thousands not watching terrestial TV anymore, these are as good, nay better , than anything I would pay a licence fee for.

Often you 'remind me' and often you 'surprise me'. I know little of this part of London so this was an enjoyable revelation.

Great walk ; those evening shots are the end were really magical ! 🌟

Thanks for another entertaining walk John , brilliant commentary as always , as a northerner you open up the streets of London and educate us about the hidden London, 👍

What a great video, really informative! I walk that area regularly at work and had no idea about this underground river, although I have often wondered about that sign that just says ‘Neckinger’. Nice conclusion as well, I always assumed that dock was nothing more than just a dock...

Hello from Australia. I just discovered your channel by accident and am addicted, have subscribed. I went to London in 2008 want to go back one day, my ancestors were from London East End, (mainly Jewish, some not), it is an amazing and beautiful city. I didn't really get to explore the East End at all. This first video I have watched has shown me so much. I love to delve into the history of England, and especially where my ancestors came from. Thank you so much.

I feel YOU are a bit of a Druid Mr Rogers. Love your films.

Another fascinating explore of London which you really bring alive

I love accompanying you on these walks,thanks.

News for me, my interest is in Geoffrey Chaucer. His tomb in Westminster Abbey was paid for by his friend and fellow poet Richard Brigham, my family's only claim to fame. Keep making these great videos.

Wow. This was a literal walk down memory lane for me. I grew up on The Arnold Estate on Jamaica Road, played on the Neckinger Estate and roamed much of the area shown. We still had the spice warehouses at Dockhead at the time, bomb sites on the river front. What I didn't know at the time was the rich history of the area, that I played on what was once a literal Island. Just shared your video with my siblings. Thank you and you've got a subscribe from me

Rivetting river walk, very much appreciated, John. Extremely impressive and informative. Should be on terrestrial TV!

Great walk John. What I love about your recent walks is how by ending your walks at twilight and later you’ve captured the atmosphere of the city in Autumn/winter.

I used to go to school at St.Olaves GS, now a hotel, just on the south side of Tower Bridge. We used to be taken on 'geography' walking outings around nearby Bermondsey, The smells of the industries were very memorable. The Sarson's factory, the tanneries, the Courage brewery - all different, all amazing to a young boy, even if the smells were not as pleasant as they might have been.

Your enthusiasm is infectious. I’m going to go out tomorrow. Have to use up my annual leave before end of financial year

You may already be aware of Martin Zero who river hunts around Manchester - great work - Stay safe

Very interesting video John. Terrible how the local council and the developers have treated the council tenants of the Elephant & Castle-symptomatic of modern business practice. Bermondsey looks fascinating, all I knew about it was that Tommy Steele was born there.

Lovely video. Great story telling.

Another great video John, hope you rewarded yourself with a few Beers at the end.....liked the part where a resident spoke about a divide, the rich the poor,.....that is London, a collection of Manors, the rich v the poor, but the Poor always more streetwise. Cheers John.

John always lovely and educational from you. Best wishes for 2021 to yourself and family.

I recently discovered your videos, what a joy!! Lived & worked around the city & the east end for 30 years, but after the referendum I figured it was best to go back home. So thank you for sharing these walks, takes me right back. Also, in regards to this video about the river Neckinger, there's a river in Switzerland called Necker & a river in southern Germany caller Neckar. Both names have etymological roots in the celtic language, apparently "Nic" meant wild & untamed. I wonder if the name of the Neckinger River has the same roots.... Thanks again & all the best from Germany

Fascinating... Like a time travelling Sherlock Holmes venturing through the block universe of London.

Another great walk. So glad to see the river at the end of the walk. Thanks again John

Another lovely reminder of the mysteries of london - thank you!

As you were walking down Long Lane just before you got to Bermondsey Street you mentioned a tannery you were walking past. It was in fact a furrier. It was called Britz Brothers. The building itself is quite an interesting piece of architecture. If you had stayed south of Jamaica Road you would have come to the Enid where there was a lot of warehouses servicing Alaska Factory on Grange Road. There was some archaeological excavation in the site of Alaska factory during eighties by London Museum in the Barbican. They found tanning pits going back to Roman times.

Superb walk John as always. Another good walk is from Greenwich to Tower Bridge along the Thames, with a stop in the Mayflower for an IPA.

Fascinating. Thank you so much.

I lived about one minutes walk away from the Imperial War Museum, grew up there and moved away in my late teens. It was only about ten years later that the park that I had grown up knowing as Bedlam Park was in fact Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, I'd never heard of it! I understand the museum used to be an asylum and hence it's name used by the locals. btw, please please please don't call shopping centres as shopping malls...!

When you walked past the Inner London Court on Newington Causeway you crossed Harper Road on your right. This was once called Horsemonger Lane and a short detour would have taken you to Newington Gardens which was the site of the gaol where Dickens saw the hanging of Frederick and Maria Manning. Dickens based Hortense in Bleak House on Maria Manning. Also, Mrs Chivery's tobacco shop in Little Dorrit was located in Horsemonger Lane. I believe that horse traders were still operating at the Elephant up to the late 1940's.My dad remembered streets where the horse traders lived as being places to avoid due to the violence meted out to strangers! I grew up near the Elephant in the 50s and 60s and dont remember the horse traders but it was still a tough place.

I absolutely love your videos!

Brilliant, first time I have found this channel, well done, I'm now preparing to binge watch a few, loved it.

Wow, such an amazing interesting video! I've struggled to find out real meaty information on London's lost rivers, surprising how a bit of human geography can completely erase even the most furvent landmarks. Thankyou for making this video, I'll subscribe to see more!

I always enjoy your historical walks look forward to the next one 👍👍👍

This is the first time we have watched one of your videos. Loved it. Husband is an ex Royal Engineer, Wife a Calif. native. We live in the lower part of Southern CA., are in lockdown again, and love catching up with anything new or any history about London. We met in London and had our children there. Thank You for the history and insites you are sharing with everyone. Have subscribed and we are looking forward to viewing more. An extra note regarding the comment from Alexanders Maggs, 2 days ago...his post was a very fascinating history.

I loved going to the museum as a kid when I visited my dad up there

Got recommended this. Not disappointed! Very informative

interesting series, thank you for adding in the maps and captions

Love hearing from John Lynch! I'm one of the 3 ward councillors for London Bridge and West Bermondsey which includes part of Lond Lane, Bermondsey Street, Abbey Street and Jamaica Road. Very proud of our history. Lovely bit of history John. I hope to link this to our ward page soon

Yeah, you know Rivers are extremely powerful! I once fished a sea river in my boat on the Ribble in Lancashire....the power of water from the hills.

I love watching your river videos John. Very educational. How about you could walk along side south London Rivers and lost rivers. The falconbrook, Graveney Norbury brook, Effra and The Wandle are great choices. There's a few more I haven't listed. But I would love to see.your future walks xxxxx

I do think that "The Shard" looks like Orthanc as imagined and drawn by Tolkien. Saruman watching over all...

This is one of the most interesting documentaries I have ever watched. Thank you.

Absolutely engrossing watch. Although I hate the new towering flats all over London, at the same time would love to live in London because of the amazing museums, architecture and history on your doorstep. I used to go to the old London College of Printing. I used to be terrified of the place, vast, echoey, noisy machines, creepiness. The tunnels to get there under the roads were an experience too.

Marvellous. A very enjoyable film, going to watch them all now, bravo.

I worked in Bermondsey in the mid 70s at the far eastern end of Crucifix Lane, just South of the railway. I well remember the aroma of the Sarsons factory and the stink of the tannery near Whites grounds. I'm guessing that the Tooley St. hotel, if it still exists is no longer a doss house. Down the back streets was the 'Leather Exchange Tavern', which sold excellent Fullers beer, our nickname for the pub was 'The Pervert'. Happy days, thanks for the entertaining video.

Another interesting walk.building up to the confulance at the old father himself..

Fantastic video, so much information and knowledge had to watch it over again! Thanks for posting.

Thank you for the walk John!

I usually come here when I come up to visit my sax player over at Waterloo. I have also been to the food market too along with the Shard.

What a really interesting video, different to the Manchester version who walks down the rivers. I'll certainly be checking more of your videos out. Thanks for sharing them.

Fantastic! I love this! I love your passion and the history of my old London. Thank you! for this! xxxxx

Great video thanks!

Energy balance and the presence of Nagas (water spirits, expressed in sources and streams) are very important in Tibetan place-making, so I imagine, the location of the Tibetan peace garden may have been chosen because of the presence of the Neckinger nearby

Nice video of an area that I walk around every day. A few corrections / notes - Watling Street does not go through the Elephant. That roman road is Stane Street (modern A3) that heads in entirely a different direction. Watling Street (later Kent Road now A2) followed Borough High Street from London Bridge to Great Dover Street, where Stane Street and Watling Street split with the later following Great Dover Sreet to the Bricklayer's Arms and then down the Old Kent Road. - All sources and books that I know of (including the source you showed on screen) put Thomas' watering point at the Thomas a Becket pub further down the Old Kent Road and not on Borough High Street (which makes more senses - why gather at The George and then stop 100 yards later to water your horses?). Interestingly, the river here is not usually called the Neckinger, it is more usually named the Earl's Sluice. It was used as a source of water for the Surrey Canal here in Victorian times and more recently is the source of water for the lake in Albany Park. See more about the possible name confusion below. - The route of the Neckinger from E&C to Bermondsey Abbey is not certain but I do not know of any source that suggests it went up Stane Street - which would require it to make a very sharp turn back to get to the Abbey. From the sources and the general lay of the land, it seems most likely that it passed to the south of Elephant & Castle overground station, underneath what is now The Elephant Park, crossing the New Kent Road about where Bartholomew Street is and crossing Great Dover Street just before the Bricklayers roundabout before following Alice Street and Tower Bridge Road (thus the story about it being used to drain the works for Tower Bridge) to Bermondsey Square. - The route from The Abbey to St Saviours is even more discussed! A lot of people note the street name Neckinger leading to St Saviours and assume that is the route. Others, and this is my opinion from walking around the area, think it is more likely to follow the route of Tanner Street into the dock. That makes the line from the Abbey gatehouse area, approximately along Riley Road and down into the Thames, much more natural and explains the curve in St Saviours. - That final brings us to the street names Neckinger - which would be a natural route for a stream from Bermondsey Spa to St Saviours. More controversially, it would follow a natural route from the Thomas a Becket down Dunton Road to Bermondsey Spa and the. along Neckinger - although most sources suggest that the Earl's Sluice turned East to join the Peck roughly along the line of the Surrey Canal. The more accepted route for the Earl's Sluice always seemed unnatural to me. If my route was true, then that river might also be called the Neckinger as part of the same system draining into St Saviours. That would explain a lot of confusion.

Great video, subbed within the first minute because I can tell I'll enjoy your videos

excellent, thank you.

I remember down by Bermondsey street all you could smell was the seasons factory. Surprised you missed the factory at the bottom of tower bridge road what was used in Charlie and the chocolate factory. But Bermondsey streets changed so much I did my work experience in the general iron foundries next to where the white cube is. My first job was the wine merchants that was where the white cube is now. Sad to see lot of the old places gone it’s only Als Cafe and the family who have the corner shop by tanner street left. Used to have such an amazing community in the area everyone knew everyone what old Bermondsey was like used to be loads of little pubs. I remember the Wolfpack when it had sawdust and a few teeth on the floor.

Thanks again John for another engaging walk sheer brilliance SMILES👍🇬🇧👌

There are some remains of the Abbey foundations in the floor of the restaurant on the corner of Bermondsey square. Sadly last time I went they had let them get really dirty but you can still vaguely see them through the floor.

Brilliant!

The cyber man building at 11:10s is an Electricity Sub station supplying the London Underground Tube at Elephant and Castle.

Bravura John!

Love these river walks...

Really enjoyable walk crammed with so many facts loved the Bermondsey road and Abbey stories. Another Gem John😊👍

Thank you so much once again John for the wonderful video. Until now I have never heard of this river. It has been a lovely experience. Bob.

My step dad is from Elephant and Castle whereas we are from East London; it created a friendly competition on who was the most Cockney , , he reckoned enjoying jellied eels made him the winner!

Thanks again John.

Brilliant as always. I do love this area. 👍

As to the Elephant and Castle, of course named four a pub where the Elephant originally stood atop, I was told by my mother that the original idea was to relocate all the stall holders from East Lane and Westmoreland Rd markets into it... Of course they wanted nothing to do with those expensive lock up shops compared to a pitch in a street market... My GT Grandmother was born just off East Lane in 1861.

Another wonderful film, John. As ever there are so many huge events and small details to pick out of this one: 27 million Russian victims of war ... 27,000,000!! almost unbelievable. & @ roughly 14:30 what looks like some lucky devil enjoying the fading light from their balcony as the sun drops down - although it may just be laundry put out to dry. 🙂 Knut's Trench? The history under your feet is almost frightening. And a final detail - what a gorgeous looking bike at the end of Bermondsey St. I've no real idea what it is but it reminds me of the 1970's 'off road' or 'Trials' bikes I lusted after in the early 1970's. Thanks for making this. Cheers 👍🏽

Superb video once again. Loved the city views towards the end. What great historical documents your videos will be for future generations.

Another fantastic walk, thank you for this video. Keep well!

Always enjoy your videos when you're south of the river.

Hello John just want to say how much I enjoy your videos. The music is awesome. I cannot travel to London but now I am seeing and learning about it. Very pleasant. Cheers from Shelley in hot, dry New South Wales, Australia.

thank you once again John.

Fascinating video John I enjoyed it so much. Thank you.

I lived in a squat whilst at college off the Old Kent Road, just down from the Elephant and Castle in the early 90's, plus I worked at the market selling records of a weekend. It wasn't the nicest looking place but it had a lot of character, and characters. Cycling through the Elephant and Castle was certainly an adventure, I'd be scared to death to do it now. I dread to think how much that squat is worth now...

I worked in Bermondey st in the late 70' and with the vineger factory and the leather works, it did smell funny then.

What a beautiful.

Thanks for the palpable excitement of this one John. A whodunit couldn't have dunit better.

Just subscribed,love these kind of historical programmes of London. Keep on walking.

That was excellent low spot the shabby way the Estate folk were treated at the Elephant And Castle , I had a mate that lived there dunno where he’s gone . High spot at the end of the journey looking up To all the buildings and all those lights in the window how they are lights shinning out from many people’s lives . Thank you John walking vicariously with you xxx

Interesting & informative as ever John. Thank you

Great walk and film thanks John