Southwark Cathedral

Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie to give it its full name, is first mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086 but has only been a cathedral since 1905 with the creation of the diocese of Southwark.

Legend has it that the first church on the site was built by a ferry owner called Mary who founded a convent in the 7th Century which in the 9th Century became a monastery founded by St Swithum Bishop of Winchester. What is factual, is that it became an Augustian priory in 1106 and stayed one until the dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII.

In 1212, there was a fire that led to a rebuilding of the church starting in 1220 and because of this, it is the first Gothic church in England. There was another fire in 1390 and in 1420 the rebuilding of the South transept was completed as was the tower.

The next major work on it was done in the 19th Century as parts of the building were unsafe. that restoration attracted lots of criticism and between 1890-97, an attempt was made to recreate the 13th Century church as closely as possible.

In 2008, Doorkins Magnificat decided to make the cathedral her home where she lived until her death in the autumn od 2020. She had her own chair with embroidered cushion. She wasn’t in residence on the day I visited.

Today, the area is dominated by a cathedral of Mammon, the Shard. The Cathedral also partially hidden by the viaduct from London Bridge station and is very close to the wonderful but over priced Borough market.

When I was there, it cost £2 for a license to take photos.