A Thousand Years of Architecture along the Thames.

Although Tower Bridge is Victorian Gothic, William the Conqueror began the Tower of London in 1066. Opposite on the South Bank is the very modern glass building housing the Assembly of London, ironically opposite the Tower's Traitors' Gate. And, anchored nearby is the ultimate boy's toy - HMS Belfast a retired Royal Naval ship now a museum.

The Shard

One of the newest buildings in London is The Shard, a tall tapering glass construction at London Bridge Station from where you can see across the whole of the Capital.

Back down to earth to continue discovering more history, this being Southwark Cathedral which has brick Gothic ceiling, arches and windows.  There is a magnificent stained glass window behind the altar and statues on the reredos.  Or maybe you prefer the charmingly carved choir stalls.  As you stroll down the side aisles it is difficult to know what to look at first.  There is a memorial to William Shakespeare with, above, a stained glass window in which his plays are represented.  Nearby there is also a memorial to Sam Wanamaker. 

Southward Cathedral

John Harvard, the founder of the American university, was baptized in the Cathedral in 1607. He was born in London and is celebrated in the Harvard Chapel. 

Amid the modern - and sometimes weird - office blocks on the north side of the river can be seen the spires and towers of some of the old churches which survived the London Blitz or were faithfully reconstructed. The most distinctive of these is, of course, Christopher Wren's St. Paul's Cathedral.

To continue strolling along this stretch of river between Southwark and Blackfriars bridges is the Bankside Gallery and the Tate Gallery of Modern Art. This building was originally a power station designed in the 1840s by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

The most distinctive building is the Globe Theatre in its black and white glory. It was the American film maker Sam Wanamaker who dreamed of this re-creation.

Past Blackfriars Bridge there is a distinctive Art Deco building with the word OXO down its tower. It was originally called Stamford Wharf (the OXO being a bit of advertising) but now it is filled with restaurants, bars, shops and has a rooftop viewing gallery.

Near Waterloo Bridge is the large complex containing the Royal Festival Hall which you can look around, the Hayward Gallery and the National Film Theatre. This is the area where the Festival of Britain took place in 1951. Something very difficult to miss is the London Eye, a vast ferris wheel and a great way to get views across London. It is located in front of County Hall (1922) one time home to the London County Council, then the Greater London Council but now housing a hotel, restaurants and the 

London Aquarium.

Big Ben & Westminster Abbey
Taken from The London Eye.

Beyond Westminster Bridge on the north bank is the Palace of Westminster, another Victorian Gothic building which is where our politicians work as it is, of course, the Houses of Parliament.

Across the road from that is Westminster Abbey which takes us back into the mists of time as it is about 700 years old. The original church was built in 1065, then demolished by Henry III who had this Gothic structure erected in honour of St. Edward the Confessor who was responsible for the original church. Both he and his wife, Edith, are entombed here.

I have lost count how many generations of architecture you can see along this stroll but as has been said of London - many times - all of history is here.