Conservation areas
Old Barge House Alley
The Old Barge House Alley Conservation Area is located in the north-west of the borough, currently overlapping with the boundary with Lambeth. The conservation area includes two historic thoroughfares: Barge House Street and Barge House Alley leading to Barge House Stairs, a route down to the Thames foreshore, and the foreshore itself. The conservation area still maintains special architectural and historical significance although its character has changed since its original designation. Historically, the area has been used for light industrial purposes, relating generally to riverside and docking industry.
Oxo Tower Wharf is a refurbished warehouse building. Its presence gives the conservation area an industrial feel reminiscent of the many warehouses which created a dense urban grain once commonplace along the southern shore of the Thames. At the time of designation, there were two key buildings in the conservation area; Stamford Wharf and Nelson’s Wharf, both representing the rapidly disappearing 19th and early 20th-century warehousing characteristic of riverside dock industries. The 19th century Nelsons Wharf was demolished in the 1970’s. Owing to boundary revisions, the site of Nelson’s wharf now lies within the London Borough of Lambeth and has been landscaped into a park area – Bernie Spain Gardens. Elements of Stamford Wharf are still extant, and now known as Oxo Tower Wharf.
You can view our interactive map of Old Barge House Alley conservation area.
Page last updated: 11 July 2024
