Did you know that...
Among the best-kept secrets of London is Wapping. It used to be a dockland slum with meandering streets now lined with modish restaurants and converted warehouses.
Remarkable people who were born and have lived in Wapping include Cher, an American actress and singer; John Newton, an Anglican clergyman and Amazing Grace hymn author; Graham Norton, a TV presenter; and W.W. Jacobs, The Monkey’s Paw author.
The name Wapping may have come from Saxons who initially settled in the area, and it is believed that these people were led by a person called Waeppa. The locals, for many centuries, served sea travellers and sailors and had been involved in various trades such as victualing, boat building, mast making, and instrument making. Wapping was a thriving place for many centuries.