HELP, what can I do in Bermondsey?

Im coming to London for a few days next Monday 12 July. I am meeting people and so on but I have Monday afternoon/evening free and Thursday morning free.

I would love to have a guided tour of the area but so far I cant find anything that fits in with these dates/times.

Can anyone please advise or suggest places to visit in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe. I was born in Bermondsey but left a long time ago :( My family history goes back centuries in the area so I would really like to have a good look around.

Many thanks.

I can't suggest much about Bermondsey, but if you're looking at Rotherhithe, I always like the are around St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe.

The churchyard is really interesting, as are the school buildings (I think) nearby. There's the pumping station (with exhibition and cafe) nearby and the Mayflower pub. The statue on the river front celebrating the colonisation of America is great fun (look inside the book over the man's shoulder).

I understand there's a man-made hill somewhere around there, too, but I've not found it yet.

While checking some of the 'facts' in the above, I came across this stroll which might fit your bill:
http://www.london-footprints.co.uk/wkrotherhitheroute.htm

Rambling Phil wrote:

I understand there's a man-made hill somewhere around there, too, but I've not found it yet.

Stave Hill

Thank you. Is it worth an expedition, Beetroot?

Don't know. Didn't know of it till you mentioned and I Googled, so thanks to you too! I'm going to check it out soon I think.

Stave Hill is adjacent to the Russia Dock Woodland and has a fine cast metal map of Docklands at the top of the hill (the docks on the map fill with water, when it has rained!).

Personally, I'd explore some cityscapes if I had just a couple of half days. But if the sun shines, and assuming that you are following Rambling Phil's advice, enjoy the lovely St.Mary's Rotherhithe and Mayflower pub etc and then walk east on the Thames Path until you hit the Deal Porter pub (turn right into Russia Dock) and following the signs to Stave Hill to penetrate ever deeper into an urban "walk in the country".

Then why not walk through the in-filled Russia Dock (with the capstans etc still on the old docksides) to Greenland Dock and take in the vast expanse of water - and maybe walk to the other side of the Dock to the Wibbly Wobbly pub-barge as a final surreal embrace to this lovely corner of London?

Thanks for the suggested extension, Se1ty.

That sounds like a lovely day out. I've not been to the Wibbly Wobbly barge, but heard good things about it.

Maybe we should have a London SE1 Social expedition to SE16.

Well said, Mr Slicker - you beat me to it. I lived in Rotherhithe for 16 years and loved the area. It's only a half-hour stroll back there for me [did it today] from Tower Bridge.

Stave Hill is allegedly made from decomposanle rubbish. It has def got smaller since first built, although perhaps that's explained by the fact that I've got a lot taller since I was a kid. Well worth a visit though - and the Russia Dock woodlands too.

A while ago I ran across the website London Footprints which has some historic walks for Southwark, Bermondsey, etc. I've never actually followed the walks (just encountered random sites by accident or design) but it's also a useful source for facts and trivia about local sites.