A History of St George Wharf

St George’s Wharf, the building that started it all. This now iconic development on the River Thames was designed by Broadway Malyan Architects. A series of 14 interconnecting houses recalls the silhouettes of magnificent ocean going liners coming into port creating an air of art deco decadence about the development that is reiterated in the lobby’s sleek limestone flooring and fine art adorning the walls.

Development work began in the late 1990’s, the site originally being the home of ‘Nine Elms Cold Store’, the largest frozen meat facility in London and possibly the world! Not particularly glamourous or edifying, it is no wonder that local residents watched with fascination as St. George’s Wharf rose out of a grey, faceless building site.

A more illuminating past came to light as a direct result of excavating the area. In 1993 a number of timber posts were discovered embedded in the riverbed at low tide. Channel 4’s Time Team (A TV program dedicated to uncovering archaeological finds) further explored the area and concluded that the timber supports may have been evidence of what was London’s first bridge dating back to the bronze age around 1500 BC.

The Museum of London then discovered even older timber structures from around 4800 BC and have suggested they are the remains of London’s Oldest Prehistoric Structure, though it remains a mystery what that structure may have been.

Evidence can also be found of London’s old rivers which were culverted in the Victorian era. Just below the famous MI6 building is an outlet for the River Effra which ran through South London and would have originally dictated the lay of the land and how it was developed as well as giving its name to Effra Road in both Brixton and Wimbledon.

Living & Investing In St George Wharf

St George’s Wharf has quickly established itself within the environment, bringing with it a vitality and a community focussed set of residents. With apartments ranging from studio flats to five bedroom penthouses, the development has attracted a wide spectrum of buyers including owner occupiers, professional landlords and property investors.

With a private resident’s gym, local medical centre, dentists, bars, restaurants and supermarkets all around the development St George’s Wharf has a neighbourly ambience and so would suit purchasers who are seeking an authentic London lifestyle. Landlords would find that tenants are usually professional singles or couples and the development is particularly popular for corporate lets and those relocating to London.

St George Wharf & Beyond

One of the key benefits of St George’s Wharf has to be its excellent transport links. Civil service buildings in Victoria, Westminster and Whitehall are all a healthy but realistic walk or cycle ride away. Vauxhall Station, opposite the development, has an underground station, mainline station and bus station all taking you to different districts of London, making access to the City, Mayfair and Canary Wharf an easy commute. A ferryboat also docks immediately outside the development with regular services along the river.

More locally, Vauxhall has a varied and burgeoning selection of coffee shops, bars and restaurants. St George’s Wharf itself benefits from a pub and two restaurants. All are airy glass venues with outside space overlooking the river making them popular with local residents and office workers alike. However it is the rather more esoteric Brunswick House – a Grade II listed building incongruously situated beside St George’s Wharf – that London’s style aficionados frequent. Lassco the company who own Brunswick House are salvage merchants and are the destination of choice for period property owners looking to restore authentic period details to their home. The simple cafe that Lassco opened to serve its customers, (trust us, it’s easy to spend hours in this place so coffee is much needed!) developed into a cafe-cum-bistro and is now known as one of London’s under-the-radar hotspots serving cocktails and food to a stylish affable crowd.

St George’s Wharf, Key Amenities

Most key services can be found on the doorstep of St George’s Wharf. A Doctors, Dentist, Gym and supermarket are all onsite and private medical centres can be found just over the river in Westminster and Pimlico, as well of course Harley Street. Greycoat School and London Nautical School are both well-renowned Girls and Boys schools respectively. Fee paying schools are also both in the immediate vicinity and within a short commute.

Lambeth Police Station and St Thomas’ Hospital are both just a short taxi ride away should an urgent situation arise. Likewise a number of popular churches catering for various denominations are within walking distance of St George’s Wharf. Tate Britain is just on the other side of the river and Tate Modern is further upriver on the South Bank. There are also a number of small galleries opening up in Vauxhall as well as Damien Hirst’s personal gallery.