Butler's Wharf

Butler's Wharf from Tower Bridge
Tea Trade Wharf, an adjacent building in the Shad Thames area

Butler's Wharf is an English historic building on the south bank of the River Thames, just east of London's Tower Bridge, now housing luxury flats and restaurants. Lying between the picturesque street Shad Thames and the Thames Path, it overlooks both the bridge and St Katharine Docks on the other side of the river. Butler's Wharf is also used as a term for the surrounding area.

History

Butler's Wharf was built between 1871-73 as a shipping wharf and warehouse complex, accommodating goods unloaded from ships using the port of London. It contained what was reputedly the largest tea warehouse in the world. During the 20th century, Butler's Wharf and other warehouses in the area fell into disuse.

From 1975-78, the artists' space at 2B Butler's Wharf was a key venue for early UK video art and performance art, used among others by Derek Jarman[1] and the artists and dancers of X6 Dance Collective who published a magazine called New Dance for a number of years. Some of these people subsequently founded Chisenhale Studios and Chisenhale Dance Space,[2] including Philip Jeck.[3]

In 1984, Butler's Wharf and the portion of Shad Thames running behind it featured prominently in the Doctor Who serial Resurrection of the Daleks.

Since the 1980s, Butler's Wharf has been transformed from a derelict site into luxury flats, with restaurants and shops on the ground floor. D&D London owns several of the restaurants, which include Butler's Wharf Chop House, Le Pont de la Tour,Cantina del Ponte and Blue print cafe.

Butler's Wharf is Grade II listed.

Surrounding area

Main article: Shad Thames

Butler's Wharf is also used as a name for the surrounding area, otherwise called Shad Thames after the main local street.

References

  1. ↑ Peake, Tony (1999). Derek Jarman. Little, Brown & Company. p. 190. ISBN 0 316 64466 8.
  2. ↑ "About us". Chisenhale Art Place. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  3. ↑ "An Aggregation of Small Gains – An Interview with Philip Jeck". The Liminal. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013. 'I used to live at Butler’s Wharf in London, right next to one of the first independent dance studios, which evolved into Chisenhale Studios, which we built and ran.'
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Coordinates: 51°30′14″N 0°04′27″W / 51.5038°N 0.0741°W / 51.5038; -0.0741

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