King Henry's Stairs

King Henry's Stairs in Bermondsey are named for the historic access point used by King Edward III to reach his royal manor house from the River Thames. These stairs serve as the namesake for the surrounding King's Stairs Gardens, a green space that was established during the post-war reconstruction of the area to link the local neighborhood directly to the riverfront. While the site once facilitated royal passage, the area underwent a transformation in the mid-twentieth century to provide public parkland for the community. You are standing near a location that was originally designed to bridge the gap between grand royal history and the needs of modern urban life.