Surrey Commercial Docks, Rotherhithe

Greenland Dock.

Walking around Rotherhithe it is hard to imagine that, just 40 years ago, this was a completely different area. Almost every part of it would have been docks, basins and cuts, rather than what now greets people. Housing estates, schools, shops, business centres, a farm, green spaces, ecology parks and, at its centre, Stave Hill Viewpoint have now replaced the docks that once covered this entire area. 

Of course, some small areas of water can be found, like Globe Pond Nature Reserve, Lavender Pond Nature Reserve and Surrey Water. Then you have some of the original docks, such as Canada Dock, Greenland Dock, Norway Dock and South Dock.

Brief History

Located in Rotherhithe, on the Surrey side of the River Thames, this area had been a hub of commercial activity since the 17th century.

The Howland Great Wet Dock was built between 1695 and 1699 and was the oldest of London's riverside wet docks. In 1763 the dock was sold and renamed Greenland Dock, due to the amount of whalers that used it. Greenland Dock became the central hub for the Surrey Commercial Docks.

During the 1800s expansions and improvements resulted in the formation of the Surrey Commercial Docks Company. These docks were part of the larger Port of London, which handled a significant amount of commercial shipping trade to and from the UK.

This is how the area once looked.

Many docks were named for what they imported or from where the products derived, while others had simpler names. There were docks named Albion, Canada, Greenland, Island, Lady, Lavender, Norway, Russia and Stave. Plus, the South and West Docks.

Then there were the ponds, which were named Acorn, Canada, Centre, Globe and Quebec. Plus, there were also Commercial and Surrey Basins.

 

At its peak Surrey Commercial Docks covered approximately 460 acres, roughly 85% of the Rotherhithe peninsula.

In 1970, the docks were closed and a major redevelopment began. The majority of the docks were filled in and the land was redeveloped for residential and retail use.  

Surrey Water.

In 1980, Russia Dock, along with Island Dock and Surrey Basin were infilled and planted as a 34.5-acre woodland. A narrow stream 'flows' through the woodland, which is littered with surviving docks reminders, like bollards, capstones, depth gauges and mooring chains. Footbridges and paths allow access for any and all visitors to the woodland. This swathe of green space runs north from Greenland Dock to Stave Hill. 

Walking through this woodland you can still find traces of the commerce that once thrived in this area, with mooring brackets, capstans and the like still visible.

Canada Dock undergoing regeneration.

More improvements and redevelopments are still ongoing, especially around Canada Dock where the pond, which was retained during the redevelopment in the 1980s has become stagnant. 

Plans are to revitalise the pond by creating 1.5 acres off wetland with 3 distinct habitats. 7 new islands are to be created, with 1 km of biodiverse shallow edging, while steps will lead down to the water, on the south side, while a red timber boardwalk will stretch across the water.

Although Greenland Dock is now only used for recreational purposes, it is still one of only two functioning enclosed docks on the south bank of the River Thames. The other being the South Dock, which is connected to Greenland Dock by a channel now known as Greenland Cut.