Southwark Cathedral. The oldest Gothic church in London. One of the true hidden treasures in London.

Southwark Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of St. Saviour and St. Mary Overy, is an Anglican cathedral with a rich history that dates back over a thousand years. It has survived the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the bombings of World War II, standing as a symbol of resilience and endurance. Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone various renovations and additions, resulting in the magnificent structure we see today. The location of Southwark Cathedral is of great historical significance. It stands on the south bank of the River Thames, near the site of the ancient Roman bridge that was for many centuries the only entrance to the City of London. Its origins can be traced to a monastery founded in AD 606 by the first Bishop of London, but the first written reference is the mention of a in 1086. The church in its present form, however, dates between 1220 and 1420, making it the first Gothic church in London. However, the building was seized by Henry VIII in 1539 during the dissolution of the monasteries, and it was designated a parish church, renamed as St. Saviour's. The local congregation had to continue renting the church from the until 1611, when it was sold by James I to a group of local merchants for £800. It was during this period that Lancelot Andrews, Bishop of Winchester, is personally credited for his translation of the first five books of the Bible in the Old Testament. His tomb can be found to the right of the great screen. Also at that time, William Shakespeare himself was the most famous resident of the parish, and attended services at the church, given that his brother Edmund is buried within the church grounds. The life of William Shakespeare is celebrated each year at the cathedral on his birthday. The alabaster sculpture, made in 1912, shows the world's most famous playwright resting outside the Globe Theatre. A fantastic stained glass window above, that replaces the original window, destroyed in the Second World War, forms part of this memorial. The window features characters from several Shakespeare plays. I should also say, that Southwark Cathedral has a unique collection of 19th, 20th and 21st century stained glass windows. The great screen, one of the treasures of the cathedral, was erected by Bishop Richard Fox in 1520. The figures include saints and kings together. It is doubtful that all the original planned statues were ever installed, as the screen was completed within a decade of the Reformation when statues like this were prohibited. They tell the story of the church in which they stand. you