St Katherine's Dock

St Katherine's Dock was designed by Thomas Telford with architect Philip Hardwick and opened after 2 and a half years of building in 1828. The waters consisted of a basin of 1 1/2 acres which led to 2 docks of 4 acres each. The surrounding warehouses were built directly onto the waterfront so that goods could be stored as soon as they were unloaded. Unfortunately the entrance to the dock was narrow and this prevented the larger ships from entering however the docks were in use until the 1930s. During the Second World War they were heavily bombed and they closed in 1968. The Port of London Authority sold St Katherine's dock to the Greater London Authority and although derelict and disused for a number of years the warehouses have now been replaced by apartments, offices and shops.