The Gates Of St Nicolas Church.. The Stowage Deptford Green

Deptford Creek has been a "working river" for centuries.

The English King Henry VIII created a Royal Dockyard in 1513 and it became an important shipbuilding area and home for working wharves and factories and later as a victualling yard, supplying the war ships of the Royal Navy.

This small stretch of waterfront is rich in English History and it was from here that Martin Frobisher and Francis Drake, began their epic voyages. Deptford built ships also played an important part in the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Later in 1581 at Deptford Francis Drake was Knighted by Queen Elizabeth I. The English diarist Samuel Pepys was a regular visitor and his good friend, John Evelyn lived at near by Sayes Court

The shot above is of the entrance to the, Norman Dated, St Nicolas Church and it is said that the now infamous, Scull & Cross Bones, the pirates flag came from the church gate's, which denotes a grave yard and has it's own plague pit. Most certainly seaman would have prayed at this church before setting sail.

The English Playwright Christopher Marlow was murdered at Deptford Green and is said to be buried in St Nicolas Church Yard. The Czar Peter the Great also came to Deptford to learn Shipbuilding.

Although neighbouring  Greenwich  attracts the tourists, it's at Deptford that our great maritime history began.

It was in the early nineties that I met Ron Richards, who was working as a welder at Pope & Bond an old established Thames Barge Repairers. Pope and Bond were one of the last links with Deptford's maritime history. I quickly found out from Ron that plan's had been drawn up to demolish and rebuild yet more Luxury Riverside Developments.

The following photographs are a record of the last days to this once thriving industrial and very historical community.

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