Waterloo (/ˌwɔːtərˈluː/[1][2]) is a district inCentral London, and part of theWaterloo and South Bank ward of theLondon Borough of Lambeth. It is situated 1 mile (1.6 km) east ofCharing Cross. The area is part of abusiness improvement district which includesThe Cut and theOld Vic andYoung Vic theatres. It includes some sections of theLondon Borough of Southwark.[3]
The area was marshland towards the northern tip of the ancient parish ofLambeth. It was known asLambeth Marshe, but was drained in the 18th century and is remembered in theLower Marsh street name.
Waterloo is connected to theStrand area on the north bank of theRiver Thames byWaterloo Bridge. The first bridge on the site was opened in 1817 and the current bridge was opened in 1945. The bridge was named to commemorate theBattle of Waterloo in 1815.Waterloo Road also dates from this time, built on land belonging to theArchbishop of Canterbury.[4]St John's, Waterloo was constructed from 1822 by theCommissioners for Building New Churches as the population of the parish of Lambeth had significantly increased.[4] After the opening ofWaterloo railway station in 1848 via theNine Elms to Waterloo Viaduct the locality around the station and Lower Marsh became known as Waterloo.[5] The boundary of the ecclesiastical parish of St John Waterloo established in 1824 was formed by the River Thames in the north and west, approximatedWestminster Bridge Road in the south, and followed the boundary withSouthwark in the east.
The public library in Waterloo was constructed in 1893. It remained open until the early 1960s when it was vacated due to its poor condition. The building now houses the Waterloo Action Centre.[6]
The CatholicSt Patrick's Church was built in 1897 and designed byFrederick Walters. Roupell Street is noted for its well-preserved Georgian housing and is often used as a TV and film location.[7]
