View of Borough High Street, Southwark, looking north from St George the Martyr Church. Narrow three and four-storey buildings line both sides of the street, most with shop fronts on the ground floor. In the centre distance, a four-storey rectangular building with attics, and ornate decoration around the attic window. Built in 1862-63 by Frederic Chancellor for the London and County Bank in an Italian Palazzo style, it is Grade II listed, number 1378346. This was built on the site of an old prison (or compter) and court house that itself had been built on the site of the twelfth-century St Margaret's church. Behind this, the tower of Southwark Cathedral is visible, formerly the Medieval Augustinian priory of St Mary Overie, and an Anglican cathedral since 1905. The twelfth-century church was damaged by fire in 1212 and rebuilt from 1220. The choir ceiling and tower pinnacles were built by George Gwilt Jnr. in 1818-27. It is Grade I listed, number 1378460. In the street are numerous horse-drawn vehicles. In the foreground on the left, two men are unloading cartwheels, and on the right, a man is driving a horse and cart with a sign for George Austin Junior. In the centre, a coach is pulled by one black and one white horse. A number of people are riding on the roof, one holding an umbrella. Much of the area around St George the Martyr Church was damaged by bombing in World War II, and has been redeveloped.
