Was this once a hunting lodge? No. Stand here before King Edward III’s Manor House. This remarkable site in Rotherhithe wasn’t built for hunting. It was a royal residence. King Edward III had many hunting lodges. This one however served a different purpose.
Built around 1350 this manor house was a significant royal residence. It stood on a small island. The Thames River was nearby. Several stone buildings surrounded a courtyard. The king’s private apartments were here. So were kitchens and a great hall with a fireplace.
Historians believe this manor served as a falconry. King Edward III loved falconry. The flat marshlands and river provided ideal conditions. The king could watch his birds in flight. Imagine the scene. Falcons soaring over the Thames. The king watching intently.
After Edward III’s death the manor changed hands. It passed to the Cistercian abbey of St Mary Graces. Later it went to Bermondsey Abbey. In the 16th century after the Dissolution of the Monasteries it became private property. It was used as a pottery. Later warehouses were built on the site.
By the 1970s the warehouses were gone. Excavations in the 1980s revealed the manor’s remains. Parts of the north east and west walls still stand. They are a testament to this fascinating piece of London’s history. King Edward III’s Manor House is a Scheduled Monument. It is a reminder of a royal past a royal pastime and a place that continues to fascinate. Now we see only partial walls. But imagine the whole structure. Imagine the life here centuries ago.