• Ride 1. Three Prisons and a Ferryman’s Seat
  • Ride 2 Cutty Sark to Danson Park and Welling.

Ride 1 Three Prisons and a Ferryman’s Seat

Newington Park, site if Horsemonger Goal
Marshalsea Pison
The Clink
South Bank
Bruce on Ferryman;s Seat
Interesting symmetry, from Brockham St
Photos from Jean, Shelagh and Nigel

Another beautiful morning as 13 of us set off from Peckham down the Canal Path and across Burgess Park. Bit further and we were at Newington Park off Harper Rd. This was the site of Horsemonger Lane Goa (1799-1878). A fine information board has the picture showing the goal gateway with the bodies of hanged prisoners on top for public display. This prison is long gone apart from a small section of wall. But the Inner London Crown Court is still there adjacent to the park. This was the Surrey Sessions Court when HorsemongerLane Goal was in use.

From Harper Rd a short ride north to the Borough and the site of the Marshalsea Prison (1373-1842) of Little Dorrit (Dickens) fame. A good section of wall is left on the north side of a small park. Another short ride and we were in Park St next to Borough Market. Made a tiny diversion to see The Clink, now a museum celebrating porbably the oldest of Southwark’s prisons. Close to the Thames now and reached the South Bank quickly at Bear Gardens. next to Shalespeare’s Globe theatre. And there it was, the diminutive Ferryman’s Seat.

Set off for our return past Tate Modern and along Gt Suffolk St to Kings Bench Street. The name gives a clue that we were close to the site if the Kings Bench Prison (1780-1869). In fact this was a bit further, across Southwark Bridge Rd. The postwar Scovill Estate is built on the ste of the 18th Century Kings Bench Prison. There is no information board and no remnant of the wall. You just have to know this was where it was. This site was in fact just across the road from the Inner London Crown Court that we had viewed earlier. For a hundred years this court served 2 prisons, Kings Banch and the Horsmonger Lane whose site we visited earlier in the ride. That was that for our romp thorugh aspects of 18th century life in Southwark. Quick ride home via Trinity Square and mostly on Cycleways 10 and 35. Back at 11.55, so time for some of us to adjourn to the cafe in the corner of Peckham Square (Westland Coffee). More information about the vaious prisons at https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/3-Prisons-A-Ferrymans-Seat-PDF-1.pdf. Route map at https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=15qG-_X3jrr0SKkaUQlTVdS3XV5UeSCB2&usp=sharing.

Thaks to Nigel for back marking. Also to Harry Clark who first did this ride for Southwark Cyclists back in 2017.

Ride 2 Cutty Sark to Danson Park and Welling

At The Mansion, Danson Park

New route for Healthy Rides. 11 riders attended. Below is a report from Ride Leader Mike K.

Starting at 10 am, we rode from the Cutty sark up Greenwich hill, then across Blackheath onto Eltham. From Eltham, we arrived at the Danson house for photos and were confronted by a woman in the doorway who banished us to the outside railings, although Jamie politely attempted to calm her, every word of hers seemed to grow more angry. We politely left and took photos from outside the railings. Once finished with the photos, we rode onto Welling and passed the notorious Welling FC. After surviving our encounter, we arrived in Plumstead then at Woolwich for coffee, where we were greeted by the manager.  After refreshments, we joined the Thames path and returned back to the Cutty Sark. I’d like to thank Jamie for his appreciated efforts in marshalling the ride.

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