Great Dover Street was established in 1750 as a turnpike improvement to facilitate traffic flow out of the City towards the southeast ports.
Great Dover Street effectively served as a bypass for the previously used Kent Street/Kent Road route, which was later renamed Tabard Street. Both ends of Tabard Street are closely connected to Great Dover Street. The creation of this new road involved traversing the Trinity Village estate, owned by Trinity House.
Over the years, Great Dover Street has predominantly featured council tenement blocks. However, as the appeal of living south of the river has increased, the area has witnessed the development of private sector flats on previously commercial and industrial sites along the road. This diversification of the housing landscape has led to a more mixed tenancy population. Additionally, the construction of two large university halls of residence, namely Great Dover Street Apartments for King’s College London and Sidney Webb House for the London School of Economics, has further contributed to the neighbourhood’s residential character.
In a notable historical event, in 1963, a sum of £50,000 was discovered by the police inside a phone box on Great Dover Street. This money was part of the proceeds from the infamous Great Train Robbery and had been left behind by an intermediary acting on behalf of Buster Edwards.
