The Bermondsey Lion

The Bermondsey Lion is a bronze sculpture located at The Blue, a historic market area in the heart of the neighborhood. Unveiled in 2011, this statue serves as a modern guardian that connects the present-day community to its long-lost medieval heritage. The lion holds a crozier in its front right paw, a specific symbol representing the once-powerful Bermondsey Abbey. This monastery was founded in 1082 and effectively governed much of the surrounding land for centuries before it was dissolved. By including the crozier, the sculpture marks the site's transformation from a monastic center into the vibrant, bustling streetscape you see today.