Bankside
Encyclopedia
Bankside is a district of London
, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark
. Bankside is located on the southern bank of the River Thames
, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Charing Cross
, running from a little west of Blackfriars Bridge
to just a short distance before London Bridge
at St Mary Overie Dock to the east . It is part of a business improvement district known as Better Bankside.
'banke' and 'side'.
and Paris Garden. In the Elizabethan period, because of its location outside the jurisdiction of the City of London
, the area of the Clink and Paris Garden were outside of the City of London
's authority and so became occupied by the bear baiting pits and playhouses, including the Rose
, the Hope Theatre
, the Swan
and the Globe Theatre
of which a replica was constructed in the late 1990s. It has experienced regeneration in recent decades, becoming a significant tourist destination, and forms a business improvement district. The skyline of Bankside is dominated by the former Bankside Power Station
, which now houses the Tate Modern
.
A major new development in the area is the Bankside 1/2/3 complex on Southwark Street. Together, these three building house about 5,000 employees. Bankside 1, also known as the Blue Fin Building, is occupied by IPC Media
, while Bankside 2 and 3 are occupied by The Royal Bank of Scotland. Architect for the buildings was Allies and Morrison
.
Parliament constituency and the Member of Parliament is Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes
. It is within the Lambeth and Southwark
London Assembly constituency and the London
European Parliament constituency.
and Southwark
are the stations closest to Bankside, located to the east and west of it respectively. Blackfriars
station on the north bank of the river is currently being extended and rebuilt and will have an entrance on the south bank from 2011. A direct pedestrian connection exists between the Tate Modern and St Paul's Cathedral
via the Millennium Bridge
.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
. Bankside is located on the southern bank of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
, running from a little west of Blackfriars Bridge
Blackfriars Bridge
Blackfriars Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge, carrying the A201 road. The north end is near the Inns of Court and Temple Church, along with Blackfriars station...
to just a short distance before London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
at St Mary Overie Dock to the east . It is part of a business improvement district known as Better Bankside.
Toponymy
The name is recorded in 1554 as the Banke syde and means 'street along the bank of the Thames'. It is formed from Middle EnglishMiddle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
'banke' and 'side'.
Urban development
Bankside is the riverside of the former liberties of the ClinkLiberty of the Clink
The Liberty of the Clink was an area in Southwark, on the south bank of the River Thames, opposite the City of London. Although situated in Surrey the liberty was exempt from the jurisdiction of the county's high sheriff and was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester who was usually...
and Paris Garden. In the Elizabethan period, because of its location outside the jurisdiction of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, the area of the Clink and Paris Garden were outside of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
's authority and so became occupied by the bear baiting pits and playhouses, including the Rose
The Rose (theatre)
The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre , the Curtain , and the theatre at Newington Butts The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre (1576), the Curtain (1577),...
, the Hope Theatre
Hope Theatre
The Hope Theatre was one of the theatres built in and around London for the presentation of plays in English Renaissance theatre, comparable to the Globe, the Curtain, the Swan, and other famous theatres of the era....
, the Swan
The Swan (theatre)
The Swan was a theatre in Southwark, London, England, built in 1595 on top of a previously standing structure, during the first half of William Shakespeare's career...
and the Globe Theatre
Globe Theatre
The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613...
of which a replica was constructed in the late 1990s. It has experienced regeneration in recent decades, becoming a significant tourist destination, and forms a business improvement district. The skyline of Bankside is dominated by the former Bankside Power Station
Bankside Power Station
Bankside Power Station is a former oil-fired power station, located on the south bank of the River Thames, in the Bankside district of London. It generated electricity from 1952 to 1981. Since 2000 the station's building has been used to house the Tate Modern art museum.-History:The station was...
, which now houses the Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London, England. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group . It is the most-visited modern art gallery in the world, with around 4.7 million visitors per year...
.
A major new development in the area is the Bankside 1/2/3 complex on Southwark Street. Together, these three building house about 5,000 employees. Bankside 1, also known as the Blue Fin Building, is occupied by IPC Media
IPC Media
IPC Media , a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year.- Origins :...
, while Bankside 2 and 3 are occupied by The Royal Bank of Scotland. Architect for the buildings was Allies and Morrison
Allies and Morrison
Allies and Morrison is a London-based architectural practice founded by Bob Allies and Graham Morrison in 1984. The practice is now headed up by 10 Partners and employs around 210 people in their purpose designed studios at 85 Southwark Street...
.
Governance
It is part of the Borough and Bankside Community Council which corresponds to the Southwark electoral wards of Cathedrals and Chaucer. They are part of the Bermondsey and Old SouthwarkBermondsey and Old Southwark (UK Parliament constituency)
Bermondsey and Old Southwark is a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons, electing one Member of Parliament using the first past the post system.The seat was created for the 2010 general election...
Parliament constituency and the Member of Parliament is Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes
Simon Hughes
Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
. It is within the Lambeth and Southwark
Lambeth and Southwark (London Assembly constituency)
Lambeth and Southwark is a constituency represented in the London Assembly.It consists of the London Borough of Lambeth and London Borough of Southwark.Since the first assembly elections in 2000 it has been represented by Valerie Shawcross....
London Assembly constituency and the London
London (European Parliament constituency)
London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
European Parliament constituency.
Transport
London BridgeLondon Bridge station
London Bridge railway station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the London Borough of Southwark, occupying a large area on two levels immediately south-east of London Bridge and 1.6 miles east of Charing Cross. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the...
and Southwark
Southwark tube station
Southwark tube station is a London Underground Jubilee line station in the London Borough of Southwark at the corner of Blackfriars Road and The Cut. It is between the and stations and is in Travelcard Zone 1. It was opened on 20 November 1999 as part of the Jubilee Line Extension...
are the stations closest to Bankside, located to the east and west of it respectively. Blackfriars
Blackfriars station
Blackfriars station, also known as London Blackfriars, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex in the City of London, England. Its platforms will eventually span the River Thames a short distance downstream from Blackfriars Bridge. The current entrance is located on the...
station on the north bank of the river is currently being extended and rebuilt and will have an entrance on the south bank from 2011. A direct pedestrian connection exists between the Tate Modern and St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
via the Millennium Bridge
Millennium Bridge (London)
The Millennium Bridge, officially known as the London Millennium Footbridge, is a steel suspension bridge for pedestrians crossing the River Thames in London, England, linking Bankside with the City. It is located between Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge...
.