Millwall Dock
Encyclopedia
Millwall Dock is a dock
at Millwall
, south of Canary Wharf
on the Isle of Dogs
, in London
.
to a design by Sir John Fowler
and opened in 1868.
The dock is L-shaped, with an 'Outer Dock' running east-west, and an 'Inner Dock' running north from the eastern end. It originally contained around 36 acres (14 hectares) of water and had a 200 acre (81 hectare) estate. The western end of the Outer Dock was originally connected to the Thames at Millwall
by an 80 ft (24.4 m) wide channel. The spoil from the docks formed the area of wasteland known as the Mudchute
. A graving dock for ship repairs was constructed at the SE corner of the Outer Dock (one of 6 originally planned), and later lengthened to 555 ft (169.2 m).
With reorganisation by the Port of London Authority
in the 1920s, the northern end of the Inner Dock was connected to the West India Docks
by the Millwall Passage, and the direct connection to the Thames was filled.
The dock was used mainly for timber
and grain, a trade which eventually moved down river to the Port of Tilbury
with the construction of a major grain terminal in the 1960s. A McDougall's flour mill on the south side of the Outer Dock was demolished in about 1980.
, just south of the now developed Canary Wharf
commercial business area.
A large site on the north side of Outer Dock is occupied by the West Ferry Printing Works, the largest newspaper print works in Western Europe, built 1984–6. Millwall Dock is a commercial business district that includes office towers housing small to medium sized technology
, publishing, legal and financial services
companies.
Millwall Dock is also an area where several housing developments and lavish apartment towers have been developed. The Clippers Quay housing estate is located around the old dry dock, while the Mill Quay housing development is located on the site of the old flour mill. There is a marked contrast between the newly established living and working areas and the older neighbouring developments in the area.
Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre is located at the far West end of the dock where the dock previously connected to the Thames
. It was set up in 1989 by the London Docklands Development Corporation
and the Sports Council at a cost of £1.2 million.
The dock was a location for boat stunts in the 1999 James Bond
film The World Is Not Enough
.
There are three Docklands Light Railway
stations serving the Millwall Dock, Mudchute
, Crossharbour and South Quay
.
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
at Millwall
Millwall
Millwall is an area in London, on the western side of the Isle of Dogs, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the south of the developments at West India Docks, including Canary Wharf.-History:...
, south of Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
on the Isle of Dogs
Isle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
, in London
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...
.
History
The Millwall Dock was constructed by John Aird & Co.John Aird & Co.
John Aird & Co. was once a leading British civil engineering business based in London.-Early history:The company was founded in 1848 by John Aird with the objective of laying mains for gas and water companies in London....
to a design by Sir John Fowler
John Fowler (engineer)
Sir John Fowler, 1st Baronet KCMG LLD was an English civil engineer specialising in the construction of railways and railway infrastructure. In the 1850s and 1860s, he was engineer for the world's first underground railway, London's Metropolitan Railway, built by the "cut-and-cover" method under...
and opened in 1868.
Millwall
Millwall is an area in London, on the western side of the Isle of Dogs, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the south of the developments at West India Docks, including Canary Wharf.-History:...
by an 80 ft (24.4 m) wide channel. The spoil from the docks formed the area of wasteland known as the Mudchute
Mudchute
Mudchute is the name of a locality just south of Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs in Docklands, London, England.The name of the area is in testament to the engineering overspill when Millwall Dock was being constructed in the 1860s...
. A graving dock for ship repairs was constructed at the SE corner of the Outer Dock (one of 6 originally planned), and later lengthened to 555 ft (169.2 m).
With reorganisation by the Port of London Authority
Port of London Authority
The Port of London Authority is a self-funding public trust established in 1908 by the Port of London Act to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and the authority is responsible for the public right of navigation and for conservancy of the...
in the 1920s, the northern end of the Inner Dock was connected to the West India Docks
West India Docks
The West India Docks are a series of three docks on the Isle of Dogs in London, the first of which opened in 1802. The docks closed to commercial traffic in 1980 and the Canary Wharf development was built on the site.-History:...
by the Millwall Passage, and the direct connection to the Thames was filled.
The dock was used mainly for timber
British timber trade
The British timber trade was importation of timber from the Baltic, and later North America, by the British. During the Middle Ages and Stuart period, Great Britain had large domestic supplies of timber, especially valuable were the famous British oaks...
and grain, a trade which eventually moved down river to the Port of Tilbury
Port of Tilbury
The Port of Tilbury is located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London; as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facilities for containers, grain, and other bulk cargoes. There are also...
with the construction of a major grain terminal in the 1960s. A McDougall's flour mill on the south side of the Outer Dock was demolished in about 1980.
The area today
Millwall Dock lies near the centre of the Isle of DogsIsle of Dogs
The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
, just south of the now developed Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
commercial business area.
A large site on the north side of Outer Dock is occupied by the West Ferry Printing Works, the largest newspaper print works in Western Europe, built 1984–6. Millwall Dock is a commercial business district that includes office towers housing small to medium sized technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, publishing, legal and financial services
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
companies.
Millwall Dock is also an area where several housing developments and lavish apartment towers have been developed. The Clippers Quay housing estate is located around the old dry dock, while the Mill Quay housing development is located on the site of the old flour mill. There is a marked contrast between the newly established living and working areas and the older neighbouring developments in the area.
Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre is located at the far West end of the dock where the dock previously connected to the 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,...
. It was set up in 1989 by the London Docklands Development Corporation
London Docklands Development Corporation
The London Docklands Development Corporation was a quango agency set up by the UK Government in 1981 to regenerate the depressed Docklands area of east London. During its eighteen-year existence it was responsible for regenerating an area of in the London Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and...
and the Sports Council at a cost of £1.2 million.
The dock was a location for boat stunts in the 1999 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough is the nineteenth spy film in the James Bond film series, and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Michael Apted, with the original story and screenplay written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Bruce Feirstein. It...
.
There are three Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
stations serving the Millwall Dock, Mudchute
Mudchute DLR station
Mudchute DLR station is a light rail station in London, on the Isle of Dogs near to Millwall Dock.It is on the Lewisham branch of the Docklands Light Railway and is in Travelcard Zone 2. The original station was on the route of the Millwall Extension Railway which was an old Victorian railway line...
, Crossharbour and South Quay
South Quay DLR station
South Quay is a Docklands Light Railway station on the Isle of Dogs, in London. It is between Crossharbour and Heron Quays stations and is in Travelcard Zone 2....
.
Other sources
- 'Dockland: An illustrated historical survey of life and work in east London', NELP/GLC, 1983, ISBN 0-7168-1611-3