Westferry is found to the east of the Limehouse area of East London, so called because its lime kilns were used to manufacture pottery products for the ships moored at the docks. Limehouse Basin marks the start of the Regent’s Canal which heads west into North London, and the Limehouse Cut canal which travels east to the Olympic Park. The area also boasts the highest church clock in London, which can be found at the Grade I Listed maritime church, St Anne’s Limehouse, built in the 18th century and designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. Look out for the White Ensign flying from its flagpole, which is usually only flown by the Royal Navy.
Historically, Westferry was the original Chinatown in London, and was renowned for opium dens and elicit gambling haunts. Nowadays, the Docklands regeneration that began in the 1980s has seen the area transformed into a more fashionable and more business-oriented place to live.
Fulfilling your lifestyle aspirations…
For an evening beverage with a side order of history, drop into The Grapes on Narrow Street, an historic public house that features in Charles Dickens’ novel Our Mutual Friend. The fish restaurant upstairs is pretty impressive too, and its fish and chips has frequently been cited as one of the best in London.
Other notable eateries in the area include Gordon Ramsey’s gastropub The Narrow, which offers a modern British menu, a wide range of real ales and spectacular river views.
Getting around
Westferry DLR station is in Zone 2, and is just 3 minutes from Canary Wharf DLR station, with connections to the Underground network, 1 minute from Limehouse DLR station and the National Rail network, and around 11 minutes from London Bridge. Buses serving Westferry include the 135, 277, D3, D7, D8 and N550.
Families will love
For a fun family day out take a trip to the Museum of London Docklands on Hertsmere Road, where you can get a real sense of the history of this intriguing part of London. Also on the same road, The Dockmasters House is a fantastic listed Georgian building, and now a great Indian restaurant. Paths along the riverside can be relied upon to reveal other historic warehouses and maritime buildings, allowing you to continue your walk through history.
There are a number of good local primary schools, including Cyril Jackson Primary School, Bygrove Primary School and Sir William Burrough Primary School. Local secondary schools include St Paul’s Way Trust School, the Beatrice Tate School, Sir John Cass’s Foundation and Redcoat Church of England Secondary School. To discover properties within the catchment area, contact Franklyn James, sales and letting agents Westferry.
