Puddle Dock facts for kids
Puddle Dock is a street in Blackfriars, a part of the City of London. It used to be the location of one of London's old docks. Later, the famous Mermaid Theatre was built there. The dock itself was filled in during big building projects in the 1960s and 1970s.
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What Was Puddle Dock Like?
Puddle Dock was a small opening on the River Thames. It was located at the western end of Upper Thames Street. Barges would come here to unload their goods, just as they had for hundreds of years. It was one of the smaller "draw-docks" along the Thames. These docks were like small bays where boats could pull in.
How Old is Puddle Dock?
Puddle Dock is very old. Some historians believe it might be the same dock mentioned in old records from the 1200s. These records talk about a "wharf at Castle Baynard." This suggests Puddle Dock was part of the outer defenses of the ancient Baynard's Castle.
A Link to Shakespeare
Did you know Puddle Dock has a connection to Shakespeare? In his will, Shakespeare gave a house to his daughter, Susanna Hall. This house was described as being "right against the King's Majesty's Wardrobe." It was also near a street leading down to Puddle Wharf.
Fires at Puddle Dock
Puddle Dock saw some big fires over the years. In 1841, a huge fire destroyed large warehouses there. These warehouses belonged to a company that dealt with corn. The main part of one seven-story building crashed into the river.
Another major fire happened in 1872 at the City Flour Mills. This mill was built on the old Puddle Dock site. It was described as the "largest flour mill in the world" at the time. The building was very tall and long, with steam-powered grinding mills inside.
Puddle Dock and London's Sewers
Before London's sewer system was improved, Puddle Dock was one of the places where waste flowed into the Thames. People complained about the smell and the dirty water in the 1830s and 1840s. In 1849, there were reports of wagons bringing "putrid filth" and "bones in the worst state of decomposition" to the dock.
However, Puddle Dock was not the only place like this. Many other docks along the Thames also discharged raw sewage. Later, in 1852, there was an advertisement about a new way to treat sewage. It claimed to turn the waste into dry, odorless fertilizer.
Filling in the Dock
By 1909, people living in the area were asking for the dock to be filled in. The Mermaid Theatre opened in 1959 next to Puddle Dock. Even then, the dock was still used by boats. However, big changes came in the 1960s and 1970s. The area was redeveloped, and the dock was filled in. This was part of a large project to rebuild Upper Thames Street into a major road.
Puddle Dock Today
Today, Puddle Dock is no longer a dock. It is a street that connects Upper Thames Street and Queen Victoria Street. Its name reminds us of its past as a busy part of London's river trade.
Puddle Dock was also part of the route for the marathon course during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The closest London Underground stations are Blackfriars (Circle and District lines) and St Paul's (Central line).
