Millbank is an area ofcentral London in theCity of Westminster. Millbank is located by theRiver Thames, east ofPimlico and south ofWestminster. Millbank is known as the location of major government offices,Burberry headquarters, theMillbank Tower and prominent art institutions such asTate Britain and theChelsea College of Art and Design.
The area derives its name from awatermill owned byWestminster Abbey that once stood at a site close to present dayCollege Green.[1]Norden's survey, taken during the reign ofElizabeth I in 1573, records the existence of such a mill although much of the area that comprises Millbank today, was referred to bySamuel Pepys and others as Tothill Fields. Described as a place ofplague pits and a "low, marshy locality" suitable for shooting snipe in the nearby "bogs and quagmires".[1]
After Cromwell's victory at theBattle of Worcester in September 1651, some 4,000 defeated Royalists were imprisoned at Tothill Fields prior to being sold as slaves to merchants trading with Africa and the West Indies. Facilities at the prison camp on the marshy ground were so poor that 1,200 prisoners were recorded as having died in the primitive conditions.[2]
Prior to the development ofMillbank Prison in 1816, the area was sparsely covered with residential houses, but did feature a distillery by the river owned by a Mr. Hodge and numerous smallalmshouses,bridewells and pest houses for the poor, criminally inclined and sick.[1] Baltic Wharf, a site just to the north ofVauxhall Bridge, was for much of the 19th century the location of a Henry Castle & Son, aship breaking and timber merchant. Numerous woodenships of the line of theRoyal Navy were dismantled at this location, their ornate figureheads often displayed on the gates and perimeter of the yard walls.[3]
Millbank's general appearance today dates from the 1930s, when the area was extensively rebuilt to repair damage caused by the1928 Thames flood disaster, following the collapse of a 25-metre-long section of theThames Embankment. Millbank shares the name of the main road (A3212) along the north bank of theRiver Thames, extending northwards fromVauxhall Bridge to Abingdon Street, just south fromParliament Square. There are parliamentary offices situated across this road, notably No.7, built as the headquarters ofBritish American Tobacco. The road was created as part of the Thames Embankment in the mid 19th century and lies above a large interceptor sewer.
The formerRoyal Army Medical College, situated at Millbank, is the site where the vaccine fortyphoid was first developed, and in the late 19th century, was where the world's first modern prison (Millbank Prison) was established. Thelisted site has since been renovated as a purpose-built arts college for theChelsea College of Art and Design in 2005. TheTate Britain art gallery (formerTate Gallery) is directly opposite near the end ofVauxhall Bridge, providing a distinct arts presence in the area.
The headquarters of the British chemicals giantICI was originally located at Imperial Chemical House on Millbank (The Smith Square entrance of which was called Nobel House) before it relocated toManchester Square, also situated in London. The headquarters for theNorthern Ireland Office,MI5 andThames House are also nearby.
On 18 December 1973, theProvisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) exploded a bomb on Thorney Street at 8:50am. The bomb resulted in over 50 people injured, including two seriously (see1973 Westminster bombing).[4]
Millbank Studios reside in the area as an independent broadcast company, owned byITV. The studio is situated opposite theHouses of Parliament. TheBBC Parliament broadcasting channel is also situated nearby (intended to broadcast parliamentary and general political coverage on behalf of theBBC). No.4 is the location commonly used by broadcasters for producing coverage of theWestminster area, including theBBC,[5]Sky News[6] and ITV. NeighbouringCollege Green is used as a setting for interviewing politicians outdoors. Foreign countries' broadcasters also have bureaus in the Millbank studio compound. Australian broadcasters ABC, Seven and Nine all have bureaus in the building. Channel Ten (of Australia) used to have an office as well, but it was scrapped due to financial difficulties. Japan's broadcaster NHK has an office in the compound as well.RTÉ News and Current Affairs also have their London bureau at the same location.[7]
Millbank Estate is a large but highly regardedGrade II-listed red-brick housing estate that gives the area behind Tate Britain a distinct character. The estate was built between 1897 and 1902, the bricks being recycled fromMillbank Prison, which had closed in 1890. The 17 buildings, comprising one of London's earliest social housing schemes, are named after distinguished painters such as Turner, Gainsborough, Millais, etc. The estate has 562 flats, all managed on behalf of Westminster City Council by MEMO, the largesttenant management organisation in Westminster. The estate's management board is elected annually from the resident population. Half of the estate's flats are private leaseholds, the other half are rented from Westminster City Council. The estate's buildings are maintained by a regular works program.
In 1914–1916, architectsJohn W. Simpson andMaxwell Ayrton designed and built 4 Millbank, a six-story Neoclassical office building for the Offices of the Crown Agents for the Colonies.[8] This structure has since been converted into multi-let office building with a central, glass-roofed atrium.
Hide Tower is a 20-storey building (with an additional walk-up penthouse level) of 162 flats with a garden and a community hall. When built in 1962 it was the tallest all residential building in Europe. Approximately a quarter of the accommodation is privately rented; half is rented from Westminster City Council and the remainder is owner-occupied. The name was derived from the "hide", an old English land measure (used in theDomesday Survey of 1086).
Millbank Tower is a large, modernistic office complex between the River Thames, Millbank Estate and Tate Britain Gallery. It has several restaurants and a public garden. Before the1997 General Election, theLabour Party acquired two floors of the building as its headquarters. The £1 million annual rent, however, forced the party to vacate the tower in 2001 for 16 Old Queen Street, Westminster. In British politics, the term "Millbank Machine" or "Millbank tendency" (a play on "Militant tendency") has been linked with the activities ofspin doctors. TheConservative Party also formerly had its headquarters,CCHQ, based in the tower.
Millbank Millennium Pier is a modern River Thames pier structure. A regular service by aDamien Hirst-designed riverboat connects Tate Britain withTate Modern.
The nearestLondon Underground stations areWestminster,Pimlico andVictoria.London Victoria station is also aNational Rail mainline terminus with anadjacent national coach station.Waterloo andCharing Cross stations are also nearby. Millbank is well connected by buses.
