DoneThat
Wapping (2), Tower Hamlets, London, England
The riverside path from Shadwell Basin leads back into Wapping Wall and comes out opposite this building which is the old Wapping Hydraulic Power Station built in 1890. Water, under pressure, was pumped all over London and it originally operated using steam but was later converted to use electricity. The hydraulic power was used to work lifts, cranes, lifting bridges etc.
It has now been converted into a cafe/restaurant but the original machinery remains on view.
| Comment | More of the Power Station |
Just a few yards from the Victorian power station is The Prospect of Whitby pub. The Prospect of Whitby lays claim to being one of the oldest riverside taverns in London and dates from around 1520 during the reign of Henry VIII. At one time it was one of the most notorious pubs in London being a meeting place for sailors, smugglers, cut-throats and footpads but now it seems to be a pretty nice pub.
It was formerly known as the Devil's Tavern, on account of its dubious reputation and before that it was officially called "The Pelican". The stone steps, to the right of the pub and going down to the foreshore, are the "Pelican Steps"
The original building burned down so all that now remains from the building's earliest period is the 400 year old stone floor.
| Comment | More of the Prospect of Whitby |
Between the Prospect of Whitby and the Captain Kidd are numerous restored old warehouses converted to private flats. These retain many of the original exterior features, note the crane on the warehouse on the left, and the old streets are still cobbled.
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The Captain Kidd pub in Wapping High Street. Somewhere around here in 1701 the pirate, Captain Kidd, was executed by hanging on Execution Dock hence the name of the pub. The exact location of Execution Dock appears to be unknown except that it was near one of the local docks or wharves. His remains were gibbeted by the river Thames at Tilbury for more than twenty years.
| Comment | More around the Captain Kidd |
The Town of Ramsgate pub was originally known as the Red Cow and then the Prince of Denmark with the origins of the pub claiming to go back as far as 1543.
To the right of the pub are Wapping Old Stairs leading down to the Thames and the foreshore at low tide.
| Comment | More around the Town of Ramsgate |