Beginning in the 16th century, the area became densely populated, often including large numbers of immigrants, some of whom were escaping religious persecution.  Many social, philanthropic and community initiatives were pioneered in Southwark, providing a rich foundation for today’s vibrant, multi-faceted voluntary sector.

Southwark has a river frontage of four and a half miles opposite the City of London, the Tower and London Docklands. It stretches just over five miles south to Dulwich and Crystal Palace, forming a roughly symmetrical triangle.

The London Borough of Southwark was formed in 1965 from three Metropolitan Boroughs, Southwark, Bermondsey and Camberwell, which had in turn been formed from ancient parishes.  Documentary evidence for Southwark’s history starts in the 16th and 17th centuries, but archaeological work during relatively recent redevelopments has provided a rich picture of Southwark’s early history.

The gravel islands formed the Romans’ southern approach to the River Thames and their only bridge, built between AD50 and 70 just downstream from today’s London Bridge. Roman Watling Street is today’s Tabard Street and the Old Kent Road leading to Dover. Borough High Street and Kennington Park Road were also built on a Roman road.

After the Romans left Britain, it appears that Southwark was abandoned for 450 years until about 910 when it appears again in accounts of Viking invasions.

The core of Southwark, known as the Borough, has played a historical role for 2,000 years. Bermondsey and Rotherhithe also have long, distinctive histories and the area’s complex history is reflected in countless place names persisting from the past. London Bridge was rebuilt in stone by 1209 and remained London’s only river crossing until 1750.

Southwark was known for its five prisons, for undesirable residents and for polluting or dangerous trades excluded from the City of London. It also had London’s largest immigrant population, mainly Dutch or German. Southern areas developed gradually over the centuries.

During the early modern period, starting around 1530, Southwark’s population increased dramatically. It became a centre for ardent forms of Protestantism, due both to the numbers of continental immigrants and to religious dissenters in local prisons. Pioneers to New England included John Harvard, founder of Harvard University.

Southwark has featured in literature, from Chaucer through Shakespeare to Charles Dickens. It has often been depicted by artists and features today in films and television.

From 1700 onwards the town of Southwark became urbanised while the southern parts of today’s borough were more suburban. By 1900 the industrialised communities and docks in the north were very different from comfortable Nunhead and wealthy Dulwich. This was reflected in the very different social conditions: much dense housing and poverty in the north and considerable affluence in the south.

From the 1880s settlements were founded to provide education and assistance to the needy and to be a centre for social activity, often linked with nonconformist churches. They still play an important role in Southwark today.  During the 20th century Southwark’s industry and docks were targeted in both world wars. The docks were closed by the 1970s and most of the industry has now disappeared.

Today Southwark is an inner-city borough on the south side of the Thames undergoing significant regeneration. It includes the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Greater London Assembly and the Imperial War Museum in the north, Dulwich Picture Gallery in the south, with varied communities and much of interest in between.

Southwark has a vibrant voluntary and community sector, consisting of nearly 2,000 organisations working in the very diverse communities across the borough.