Horselydown stairs

Horselydown Stairs once served as a vital maritime artery where the watermen of the Thames operated a highly regulated ferry service. These stairs allowed local workers and traders to cross the river long before the nearby bridges existed. The site derived its name from the surrounding grazing lands where horses were kept during the medieval period. This location acted as a primary gateway for goods arriving by boat, making it a bustling hub for the river trade that defined the early economy of Bermondsey.