Clink Street, SE1
Southwark
Clink Street is best known as the historic location of the Clink Prison.

In the early 17th century a stone wall was built along the river. The new wall allowed sturdier construction of houses and tenements built around the 1640s. The name of Clink Street first appeared at this time. Within 150 years most of these early houses were demolished and a new brick river wall constructed.

The Bishop of Winchester was the lord of the manor, had his own court and his own prison – the infamous ‘Clink’. It was one of the worst prisons in London, where prisoners were left to starve or sometimes left to rot or drown in the rising tide.

The Clink Prison gave rise to the London slang phrase ’in the clink’, meaning ’in prison’. The prison was burned down in the 1780 riots. A museum now occupies part of the site.

Clink Street runs parallel to the River Thames. A replica of the Golden Hind is moored in a small dock at its eastern end.

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