London, The Unfinished City.

Royalty and Myth Along the River Thames, numerous stone stairs lead down to the foreshore. Many were historically used by boatmen who plied their trade along the river. While several of these access points remain open to the public, one set is almost always locked: the Queen's Stairs (also known as the Drake's Steps). Located on the Deptford Thames Path along the foreshore area, they sit just south of Deptford Wharf and north of the historic Deptford Royal Dockyard. The Royal Banquet and Knighting of Francis Drake On April 4, 1581, Queen Elizabeth I attended a banquet held inside Sayes Court, a major manor house in Deptford near the dockyard. Contemporaries described the event as one of the most extravagant banquets held since the reign of King Henry VIII.