{{Short description|District in central London, England}} {{Use British English|date=May 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox UK place | country = England | map_type = Greater London | coordinates = {{coord|51.507006|-0.071476|display=inline,title}} | region = London | static_image_name = File:St Katharine Docks 022.jpg | static_image_caption = St Katharine Docks, London | population = | official_name = St Katharine Docks | post_town = LONDON | postcode_area = EC | postcode_district = EC3 | london_borough = Tower Hamlets | dial_code = 020 }}
'''St Katharine Docks''' is a former dock<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/Documents/Planning-and-building-control/Strategic-Planning/Local-Plan/Evidence-base/Evidence-base,-core-strategy,-Sep-2009/Urban-Structure-and-Characterisation-Study-pages-64-75.pdf | title=Urban Structure and Characterisation Study | pages=64–75 | website=www.towerhamlets.gov.uk | publisher=[[Tower Hamlets London Borough Council]] }}</ref> in the [[St Katharine's and Wapping (ward)|St Katharine's and Wapping]] electoral ward of the [[London Borough of Tower Hamlets]]. It lies in the [[East End of London|East End]] on the north bank of the [[River Thames]], immediately downstream of the [[Tower of London]] and [[Tower Bridge]]. From 1828 to 1968, it was one of the commercial docks that made up the [[Port of London]]. It is in the redevelopment zone known as the [[London Docklands]] and is now a housing and leisure complex.
==History== {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = St. Katharine's Dock Act 1825 | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act for making and constructing certain Wet Docks, Warehouses, and other Works in the Parish of Saint Botolph without Aldgate and in the Parish or Precinct of Saint Katharine near the Tower of London in the County of Middlesex. | year = 1825 | citation = [[6 Geo. 4]]. c. cv | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 10 June 1825 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = | replaces = | amendments = | repealing_legislation = [[Port of London (Consolidation) Act 1920]] | related_legislation = | status = repealed | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo4/6/105/pdfs/ukla_18250105_en.pdf | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }} St Katharine Docks took their name from the former hospital of [[St Katharine's by the Tower]], built in the 12th century, which stood on the site. An intensely built-up area, the entire 23-acre (9.5 hectares) [[Royal Foundation of St Katharine#Precinct|Precinct of St Katharine by the Tower]] and part of [[East Smithfield]], was earmarked for redevelopment by an act of Parliament, the '''{{visible anchor|St. Katharine's Dock Act 1825}}''' ([[6 Geo. 4]]. c. cv), with construction commencing in May 1827. Some 1,250 houses were demolished, together with the medieval hospital of St. Katharine. Around 11,300 inhabitants, mostly port workers crammed into unsanitary slums, lost their homes; only the property owners received compensation. The scheme was designed by engineer [[Thomas Telford]] and was his only major project in London. [[George Turnbull (civil engineer)|George Turnbull]] and James Waylen were working for Telford. To create as much quayside as possible, the docks were designed in the form of two linked basins (East and West), both accessed via an entrance lock from the Thames. Steam engines designed by [[James Watt]] and [[Matthew Boulton]] kept the water level in the basins about four feet above that of the tidal river. By 1830, the docks had cost over £2 million to build.<ref>{{cite book| title=London Docklands: Past, Present and Future| last=Al Naib| first= S. K.| publisher=[[University of East London]]| date=July 1990| page=11 }}</ref>
Telford aimed to minimise the amount of quayside activity and specified that the docks' warehouses (designed by the architect [[Philip Hardwick]]) be built right on the quayside so that goods could be unloaded directly into them.
The docks were officially opened on 25 October 1828. Although well used, they were not a great commercial success and were unable to accommodate large ships. They were amalgamated in 1864 with the neighbouring [[London Docks]]. In 1909, the [[Port of London Authority]] took over the management of almost all of the Thames docks, including St Katharine Dock. By the 1930s the only regular use was by ships of the [[General Steam Navigation Company]].<ref name="Lost">{{cite book |last1=Ellmers |first1=Chris |last2=Werner |first2=Alex |title=London's Lost Riverscape |date=1988 |publisher=Guild Publishing |location=London |page=16}}</ref>
St Katharine Docks were badly damaged by [[Nazi Germany|German]] bombing during the [[Second World War]]. All the warehouses around the eastern basin were destroyed, and the site they had occupied remained derelict until the 1960s.<ref name=change>{{cite book| first1=Graham | last1=Diprose | author1-link=Graham Diprose | first2=Charles | last2=Craig | first3=Mike | last3=Seaborne | title=London's Changing Riverscape: Panoramas from London Bridge to Greenwich | publisher=[[Frances Lincoln]] | date=2009 | isbn=978-0711229419 | page=21 }}</ref> The dock entrance lock was rebuilt in 1957 but the docks ceased commercial use in 1968. The remaining warehouses on the western side were demolished to make way for redevelopment.<ref name="Lost" />
<gallery class="center"> File:Early Model of St Katherine Dock, Dockland Museum.jpg|Early model of St Katharine Docks File:St Katharine Dock.jpg|Plan drawn up for the St Katharine Dock Company showing the street and buildings which would need to be demolished to make way for the new dock File:St katharine docks 1828.jpg|Opening of St Katharine Docks, 25 October 1828 File:Print (BM 1880,1113.1688).jpg|Bird's-eye view, 1829 </gallery>
==Closure and redevelopment== [[File:Ivory House in Saint Katharine Dock (04).jpg|thumb|right|Ivory House, a 19th-century structure in St Katharine Docks]] Because of their very restricted capacity and inability to cope with large modern ships, the St Katharine Docks were among the first to be closed in 1968, and were sold to the [[Greater London Council]]. The site was leased to the developers [[Taylor Woodrow]] and most of the original warehouses around the western basin were demolished and replaced by modern commercial buildings in the early 1970s, beginning with the bulky [[Tower Hotel, London|Tower Hotel]] (designed by [[RHWL|Renton Howard Wood Partnership]]; opened in September 1973)<ref name="Lyons">{{cite web|title=Tower Hotel London|url=http://www.kzwp.com/lyons2/tower.htm|website=J Lyons & Co|access-date=4 February 2016}}</ref> on a site parallel to the river just to the east of Tower Bridge. This was followed by the World Trade Centre Building and Commodity Quay (both designed by architects Watkins Gray International). Development around the eastern basin was completed in the 1990s; the docks themselves becoming a [[marina]]. The development has often been cited as a model example of successful urban redevelopment.<ref name=change/>
In 1980, a plan was approved to open a [[Jubilee line#St Katharine Docks|St Katharine Docks Underground station]] on the proposed extension of the [[Jubilee line]]. It would have been between [[Fenchurch Street station|Fenchurch Street]] and [[Wapping railway station|Wapping]].<ref>{{cite book | first=Mike |last=Horne |title=The Jubilee Line |year=2000 |publisher=Capital Transport |isbn=1-85414-220-8 |pages=50–52}}</ref> An eastwards extension was eventually built as part of the [[Jubilee line]], but took a different route south of the [[Thames]].<ref>{{cite book | first=Mike |last=Horne |title=The Jubilee Line |year=2000 |publisher=Capital Transport |isbn=1-85414-220-8 |page=57}}</ref> The closest stations to the Docks today are [[Tower Hill tube station|Tower Hill]] (tube) and [[Tower Gateway DLR station]], both roughly equidistant from the north-west corner of the Docks.
[[Vodafone UK|Vodafone]] made the first ever cellular telephone call in the United Kingdom on 1 January 1985, from St Katharine Docks to [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]], and launched the UK's first cellular network later that year.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Between 2005 and 2008, the former Danish lightship "Lightship X" (Ten) was moored on the west dock, and used as a restaurant, before returning to Denmark.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.feuerschiffseite.de/SCHIFFE/DAENEMA/FS10/fs10gb.htm | title=Fyrskib Nr. X – Lightship Ten | publisher=feuerschiffseite.de | access-date=3 May 2013}}</ref> {{Clear}}
The marina, including restaurants and offices, was owned by Max Property Group, operated by investor [[Nick Leslau]], since 2011,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jun/28/secret-millionaire-nick-leslau-st-katharine-docks|title=Secret millionaire Nick Leslau buys St Katharine Docks|first=Julia|last=Kollewe|date=28 June 2011|website=the Guardian}}</ref> and was sold to [[Blackstone Group]] in 2014. Over the next three years, Blackstone completed a major restoration.<ref name=renovation>{{cite news | url=https://www.boatinternational.com/destinations/renovation-of-st-katharine-docks-in-london-complete--30051 | title=Renovation of St Katharine Docks in London complete | first=ELIZABETH | last=FINNEY | work=[[Boat International Media]] | date=5 April 2017}}</ref> In May 2017, the company retained agents to find potential buyers for the complex; the listing price was £435m.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/823553aa-afa0-3c04-9b31-9e00e5f2942e |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/823553aa-afa0-3c04-9b31-9e00e5f2942e |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|title=London's St Katharine Docks up for sale|first=Judith|last=Evans|date=10 May 2017|website=Financial Times}}</ref> In October 2017, however, Blackstone withdrew the property from the market because bids were below the asking price.<ref name=renovation/>
==The docks today== [[File:St Katarine's Docks.jpg|thumb|Boats moored in St Katharine Docks]]
The former docks now features offices, public and private housing, a large hotel, shops and restaurants, a pub (The [[Dickens]] Inn, a former brewery dating back to the 18th century), a yachting marina and other recreational facilities. It remains a popular leisure destination.
The east dock is now dominated by the City Quay residential development, comprising more than 200 privately owned flats overlooking the marina. The south side of the east dock is surrounded by the [[South Quay Estate]] which was originally social housing. The dock is still used by small to medium-sized boats on a daily basis.
The [[anchor]] from the wreck of the Dutch East Indiaman ''[[Amsterdam (VOC ship)|Amsterdam]]'' is on display at the entrance to the east dock.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMGY57_Amsterdam_Anchor_St_Katherine_Docks_London_England|title=Amsterdam Anchor St Katherine Docks London England|publisher=waymarking.com|access-date=26 August 2014}}</ref>
==Notable boats== [[File:Thames barges at St Katherine Docks.jpg|thumb|[[Thames sailing barge]]s at St Katherine Docks]] Notable boats regularly moored in the docks include: <!-- Please do not include boats which do not have their own articles or which are only infrequent visitors --> *[[Gloriana (barge)|Gloriana]], royal barge *[[MV Havengore]], former Port of London Authority hydrographic survey vessel
Several [[Thames sailing barge]]s are also based in the docks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sailingbargeassociation.co.uk/where.html|title=Sailing Barge Association – where to see Thames Barges|work=sailingbargeassociation.co.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717001552/http://www.sailingbargeassociation.co.uk/where.html|archive-date=17 July 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> *{{SB|Adieu||2}} *{{SB|Marjorie||2}}
==Notable residents== *[[David Mellor]], broadcaster and former politician, and [[Penelope, Viscountess Cobham]] *[[David Suchet]], actor *Sir [[Michael Hodgkinson]], business man
==In media ==
The docks were used as one of the main filming locations for the [[Hammer Film Productions]] version of [[Dennis Wheatley]]'s novel ''[[To the Devil a Daughter|To The Devil - A Daughter]]'' in 1976, with the character played by [[Richard Widmark]] living in one of the residential flats. Scenes featured the Ivory House and the [[retractable bridge]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reelstreets {{!}} To The Devil a Daughter |url=https://www.reelstreets.com/films/to-the-devil-a-daughter/ |access-date=2022-03-01 |website=www.reelstreets.com}}</ref>
In April 2021, it was filmed for ''[[Men (2022 film)|Men]]'', a folk horror film directed by [[Alex Garland]] and starring [[Jessie Buckley]], released in 2022. It was used for Buckley's character's apartment with her abusive husband, and also where he died.<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13841850/locations {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=July 2022}}</ref>
The inner gatefold photograph for The Rolling Stones album ''[[Through the Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)]]'' was taken at St Katherine Docks by Ethan Russell in May 1969.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sonaglioni |first=Marcelo |date=2022-09-11 |title=Cover art of Through the Past, Darkly, 1969. Rolling Stones trivia. |url=https://rollingstonesdata.com/trivia/history-of-through-the-past-darkly-album-cover-art/ |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=ROLLING STONES DATA |language=en-US}}</ref>
The docks were also used as a filming location for the 1983 UK-based action film Who Dares Wins (titled "The Final Option" in the US market).<ref>{{cite web |title=Who Dares Wins |url=https://londononlocation.co.uk/films/who-dares-wins/ |website=London on Location |access-date=9 October 2025}}</ref>
==Tower Bridge Quay== {{Main article|Tower Bridge Quay}} [[File:St Katharine pier 2.jpg|thumb|A cruise boat departs from [[Tower Bridge Quay]]]] [[Tower Bridge Quay]] is close to the St Katharine Dock, providing river transport services managed by [[London River Services]]. The main service from Tower Bridge Quay is a circular river cruise operated by Crown River Cruises which goes non-stop to [[Westminster Millennium Pier]] before returning via the [[South Bank]] arts centre, as well as a Westminster-Greenwich express service run by [[Thames River Services]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/st-katharines-pier-route-map.pdf |title = Boats from St Katharine's Pier |access-date = 16 May 2008 |author = Transport for London |year = 2008 }} </ref>
The nearby [[Tower Millennium Pier]], located on the other side of Tower Bridge, now provides the main commuter river boat services to [[Canary Wharf Pier|Canary Wharf]] and [[Greenwich Pier|Greenwich]] in the east and the [[West End of London|West End]] in the west, and a fast visitor service to the [[London Eye]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/tower-pier-route-map.pdf |title = Boats from Tower Millennium Pier |access-date = 16 May 2008 |author = Transport for London |year = 2008 }} </ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{Official website|http://www.skdocks.co.uk/ }} *[https://www.foskd.org/ Friends of St Katharine Docks]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Katharine Docks}} [[Category:London docks]] [[Category:Geography of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]] [[Category:History of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in London]] [[Category:Wapping]] [[Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 1828]] [[Category:Works of Thomas Telford]] [[Category:Redeveloped ports and waterfronts in London]] [[Category:Marinas in England]] [[Category:Port of London]]