Description
The Queen's Walk is part of the Thames Riverside Walk, a promenade that runs from Westminster Bridge on the south bank of the river towards Blackfriars Bridge and beyond towards the Millennium Bridge opposite St Paul's. An area of landscaping was initially laid out when County Hall was built in 1917, but in 1949 the riverside walk was extended as a promenade for the 1951 Festival of Britain and retained as public open space when the Festival ended, opening in 1952. The riverside promenade now continues past the South Bank providing largely uninterrupted pedestrian access as far as Tower Bridge. The Queen's Walk is on the circular Jubilee Walkway that was opened in 1977 for the Queen's Silver Jubilee and later re-launched in 2002 in celebration of her Golden Jubilee
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Riverside Walk; Jubilee Walkway; Thames Path |
|---|---|
| Site location | The Queen's Walk |
| Postcode | SE1 9UD |
| Type of Site | Other |
| Borough | Southwark |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Research Updated | 14 November 2023 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Queen's Walk forms a long pedestrian promenade along the south bank of the Thames from Westminster Bridge in Lambeth and extending into Southwark. Lined in part by mature London plane trees, along its route are replicas of George Vulliamy's decorative cast iron lamp standards of 1870, made for the Embankment. The LCC had a number cast in 1933 when County Hall was extended, and in 1964 a further 28 were cast and placed between County Hall and the South Bank. In the 1960s trees were planted on The Queen's Walk as memorials to war dead. The promenade south of Westminster Bridge is separately designated as Albert Embankment and has good views of the Houses of Parliament.
North of Westminster Bridge The Queen's Walk continues past the London Eye, erected in 2000, and flanks Jubilee Gardens (q.v.), opening to a broader area with London plane trees. Between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge the riverside has been re-modelled as part of improvements to the Royal Festival Hall. A circular stone sculpture by John Maine, 'Arena' (1983-88) was installed in the centre of the walkway near the Royal National Theatre, which was in built 1969-76 and has itself has undergone restoration works in the 1990s when the public square, Theatre Square, was created adjacent to The Queen's Walk. The Walk leads on to Bernie Spain Gardens, landscaped in the 1980s, past Gabriel's Wharf, with a viewing platform constructed over the river, this phase of The Queen's Walk completed in the late 1980s. The section beyond Bernie Spain Gardens is within LB Southwark , leading to Blackfriars Bridge. The pedestrian path then extends eastwards to Tower Bridge, the last section not established until the completion of construction of London Bridge City in c.1990.
Important landmarks on the Southwark section of The Queen's Walk include the Oxo Tower, originally a late C19th power station built to supply electricity to the Royal Mail offices, and acquired in 1920s to the manufacturers of the Oxo beef stock cube, Liebig Extract of Meat Company. Unable to advertise its product under planning regulations, the company got round this be building windows that formed 2 circles and a cross. The first Blackfriars Bridge was built in 1769, replaced by a second bridge in 1869. It is here that the Fleet River meets the River Thames. Beyond Blackfriars, the Walk passes Tate Modern created in the former Bankside Power Station, which was built in 1947-63, and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, which opened in 1997 on the site of the theatre that stood here between 1599 and 1642. At the Millennium Bridge, which opened in 2000, the Walk crosses the river to the north side towards St Paul's Cathedral (q.v.).
The Queen's Walk is on the circular Jubilee Walkway that was opened in 1977 for the Queen's Silver Jubilee and later re-launched in 2002 in celebration of her Golden Jubilee; a commemorative totem is found by Jubilee Gardens and Jubilee plaques are set into the pavement throughout the Walkway. In 1996 The Queen's Walk was recognised as a foundation for establishing the Thames Path National Trail, the 184-mile long-distance footpath from the source of the River Thames in Trewsbury Mead, Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier in Woolwich, and is one of the country’s long distance recreational routes in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949. From 1973 the Ramblers and the River Thames Society collaborated with local campaign groups negotiating with landowners and local authorities, and lobbying politicians to restore the old towing path from the days of barges on the Thames. The final section was opened and the Thames Path National Trail inaugurated at the Thames Barrier in Greenwich on 24 July 1996.
North of Westminster Bridge The Queen's Walk continues past the London Eye, erected in 2000, and flanks Jubilee Gardens (q.v.), opening to a broader area with London plane trees. Between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge the riverside has been re-modelled as part of improvements to the Royal Festival Hall. A circular stone sculpture by John Maine, 'Arena' (1983-88) was installed in the centre of the walkway near the Royal National Theatre, which was in built 1969-76 and has itself has undergone restoration works in the 1990s when the public square, Theatre Square, was created adjacent to The Queen's Walk. The Walk leads on to Bernie Spain Gardens, landscaped in the 1980s, past Gabriel's Wharf, with a viewing platform constructed over the river, this phase of The Queen's Walk completed in the late 1980s. The section beyond Bernie Spain Gardens is within LB Southwark , leading to Blackfriars Bridge. The pedestrian path then extends eastwards to Tower Bridge, the last section not established until the completion of construction of London Bridge City in c.1990.
Important landmarks on the Southwark section of The Queen's Walk include the Oxo Tower, originally a late C19th power station built to supply electricity to the Royal Mail offices, and acquired in 1920s to the manufacturers of the Oxo beef stock cube, Liebig Extract of Meat Company. Unable to advertise its product under planning regulations, the company got round this be building windows that formed 2 circles and a cross. The first Blackfriars Bridge was built in 1769, replaced by a second bridge in 1869. It is here that the Fleet River meets the River Thames. Beyond Blackfriars, the Walk passes Tate Modern created in the former Bankside Power Station, which was built in 1947-63, and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, which opened in 1997 on the site of the theatre that stood here between 1599 and 1642. At the Millennium Bridge, which opened in 2000, the Walk crosses the river to the north side towards St Paul's Cathedral (q.v.).
The Queen's Walk is on the circular Jubilee Walkway that was opened in 1977 for the Queen's Silver Jubilee and later re-launched in 2002 in celebration of her Golden Jubilee; a commemorative totem is found by Jubilee Gardens and Jubilee plaques are set into the pavement throughout the Walkway. In 1996 The Queen's Walk was recognised as a foundation for establishing the Thames Path National Trail, the 184-mile long-distance footpath from the source of the River Thames in Trewsbury Mead, Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier in Woolwich, and is one of the country’s long distance recreational routes in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949. From 1973 the Ramblers and the River Thames Society collaborated with local campaign groups negotiating with landowners and local authorities, and lobbying politicians to restore the old towing path from the days of barges on the Thames. The final section was opened and the Thames Path National Trail inaugurated at the Thames Barrier in Greenwich on 24 July 1996.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ316805 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1917 - 1990 |
| Listed Structures | LBII Southern abutment to former west Blackfriars and St Paul's rail bridge. SAM: Globe Theatre |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Southwark |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Old Barge House Alley |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Area (Borough, Bermondsey and Rivers) |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Christ Church Garden is the former churchyard of Christ Church built here in 1671, which was rebuilt in the C18th and added to in the 1890s but destroyed by bombing in WWII. The current church dates from 1960. The churchyard was enlarged a number of times but closed to burial in 1856. It was converted into a public garden by the MPGA and opened in 1900. A drinking fountain was donated by John Passmore Edwards. When the church was bombed, the cross fell into the churchyard scorching the ground, its position now marked by a stone cross in the grass. The garden was redesigned in 2000.
Hopton's Almshouses were founded by Charles Hopton, who had died in 1730 leaving a large sum in his will, made 5 days before his death. The interest was payable to his sister, upon whose death 9 years later, the residue of Hopton's estate paid for the erection of 26 almshouses for 'poor decayed men' of the parish of Christ Church in Southwark. In 1825 2 extra almshouses were added. The buildings are a group of delightful two-storey cottages of London stock brick with stone quoins. They almost enclose two simple garden squares, the first larger than the second, both have grass in the centre and are planted with roses and shrubs around the edge. They are a rare example of this genre of building and garden square in this area of London. Outside the gates is a Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough. The almshouses were later rebuilt and modernised, re-opening in 1988, and they remain in use for housing owned by Anchor Trust.
Blackfriars Bridge Garden was referred to as a public garden maintained by the Corporation of London by the 1920s. The current landscaping dates from the 1960s when Blackfriars Underpass was opened and adopted as public open space under the Blackfriars Bridgehead Act. This consists of publicly accessibly landscaped strip along the river by the pedestrian underpass, as well as areas of grass and flowerbeds at the bridgehead that are essentially traffic islands, a pleasant contrast from the busy road. Near the Underpass is a commemorative stone.
