London's oldest Gothic church, free to enter, tucked beside Borough Market with a Shakespeare memorial, medieval roof bosses and a quiet riverside garden.
The lowdown
Tucked between Borough Market and the river is the oldest Gothic church in London, and unlike the cathedrals across the water it is free to walk into. Southwark Cathedral has stood in some form for over a thousand years, and its cool, stone interior is a calm pause from the crush of the market outside.
It is full of quiet treasures, a colourful memorial to William Shakespeare, who worshipped in this parish when his Globe stood nearby, the tomb of the poet John Gower, medieval roof bosses and a tablet to Sam Wanamaker, who rebuilt the Globe. Choral evensong, sung most days, is free to sit in on.
Outside there is a small herb garden and churchyard, and the whole site sits on one of the most atmospheric corners of Bankside, making it a perfect free counterpoint to a morning grazing the market.
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