Is it a tall tale or truth that King John once played a role in the naming of Cuckold’s Point? We are standing at a place steeped in curious history. Cuckold’s Point also known as Cuckold’s Haven is part of a sharp bend on the River Thames. It lies on the Rotherhithe peninsula in south-east London. Look across the water. You will see it is opposite the West India Docks.
Cuckold’s Point gets its name from a rather colourful past. A post once stood here. It was topped with a pair of horns. These horns were a symbol. They commemorated the riotous Horn Fair. The horns also symbolised a cuckold.
The Horn Fair was quite the event. It involved a procession that led to Charlton. Legend says King John or another monarch granted the fair to a miller. The king had seduced the miller’s wife after a hunting trip. As compensation he gave him all the land from Cuckold’s Point to Charlton. Some dispute this story.
Cuckold’s Haven appears in writing as early as 1562. Henry Machyn noted in his diary the setting up of a great May-pole. Butchers and fishermen erected it at Cuckold’s Haven. It was full of horns and they made great cheer. Only two years later John Taylor lamented the marker’s absence.
Cuckold’s Haven appears on a 1588 map of London’s river defenses. It was a recognised landmark for mariners. This was during the time of the Spanish Armada.
Cuckold’s Point also had a grim side. It was the site of a riverside gibbet. The bodies of executed criminals were displayed here. River pirates were often the victims. It served as a deterrent to others. An adjacent shipyard took its name from Cuckold’s Point during the 18th century.
English Renaissance drama loved the topic of cuckoldry. Cuckold’s Haven featured in many plays.
Samuel Pepys mentioned Cuckold’s Point in his diary. On 20 February 1662, he described a river journey. The journey took him to Cuckold’s Point.
William Hogarth’s print Industry and Idleness shows the Idle Apprentice off Cuckold’s Point. He defiantly makes the sign of the horns.
Daniel Defoe mentioned Cuckold’s Point. He wrote about it in his description of London. It also appears in A Journal of the Plague Year.
Samuel Scott painted A Morning with a View of Cuckold’s Point. The painting dates from 1750 to 1760. It is in the collection of the Tate Gallery.
Today Cuckold’s Point is near Pageant Crescent in Rotherhithe. It is also close to Nelson’s Pier. The Docklands Hilton has a ferry connection from there to Canary Wharf.
So we conclude our visit to Cuckold’s Point. It is a place where legend and history meet. From royal dalliances to riverside gibbets. It’s a location immortalised in art and literature. Cuckold’s Point remains a fascinating part of London’s story.