Pier Head Wapping

The houses at Wapping Pierhead, facing each other across the the original lock entrance to the London Docks, are the finest Georgian domestic dwellings overlooking the river in Docklands and are, not surprisingly, very desirable residences. They were built for officials of the London Dock Company between 1811 and 1813 to the designs of Daniel Asher Alexander.

The lock entrance was designed by the famous engineer, John Rennie in 1805. By the 1930s the original locks of the London Dock became far too small for the ocean-going ships of the day. Only yhtose ships that were engaged in the coastal and continental trades entered the docks. The London Docks became a vast storehouse for a variety of different cargoes. Wool, stored in many of the warehouses, occupied nearly a million square feet of space. Other goods included rubber, drugs, spices, ivory and coffee.

The Wapping entrance lock was filled in during the 1960s and by 1969 the whole of the London Dock system had been transformed into residential houses and flats. Wapping old stairs are found beside of the Town of Ramsgate PH, a small riverside tavern taking it's name from small packets and fishing boats from Ramsgate which used to moor beside the stairs. It is reputed that the infamous 'hanging' Judge Jeffries was caught at Wapping Old Stairs trying to flee to France after the abdication of James 11.