Before its redevelopment into a financial district in the 1980s, the area now known as Canary Wharf was primarily part of the West India Docks (specifically the Import Dock) on the Isle of Dogs. Historically, the area was known as Stepney Marsh before becoming a major,, industrial port area for trade with the Canary Islands. BBC +3
Canary Wharf has a lot of history behind it. The area now known as the financial district of London has been much more. In medieval times it used to be called Stephany Marsh and only later, in the 16th century took the name of Isle of Dogs. The reason behind this name is not clear and there are plenty of theories.
From 1802 until the late 1980s, the area now known as the Canary Wharf Estate was part of the Isle of Dogs (specifically Millwall) and Poplar. The West India Docks, a central feature of the area, were primarily developed by Robert Milligan (c. 1746–1809), who founded the West India Dock Company.
The Isle of Dogs is situated some distance downriver from the City of London. It was originally marsh, being several feet below water at high tide. In the Middle Ages it was made available for human habitation by a process known in the Thames estuary as inning.
Almost a quarter of a century after the first offices were built in the once derelict former Docklands, Canary Wharf is becoming a thriving new residential area of east London with lots to see and do.
How Canary Wharf Became a TRILLION Pound Business District!
What did Docklands used to be?
The main dockland areas were originally low-lying marshes, mostly unsuitable for agriculture and lightly populated. With the establishment of the docks, the dock workers formed a number of tight-knit local communities with their own distinctive cultures and slang.
What was London called before it was called London?
Before it was called London, the settlement was known by its Roman name, Londinium, established around 47 AD, which itself derived from an earlier Celtic name like Lowonidonion or Londonjon, meaning "place of the flowing river" or related to a "fort". After the Romans, it became Lunden or Lundenburh (London-fort) in Anglo-Saxon, eventually evolving into the modern London.
Canary Wharf is located on the Isle of Dogs, a peninsula named for theories that King Edward III or Henry VIII kept royal hunting dogs there, though the name's exact origin is uncertain and likely evolved from marshland (once Stepney Marsh) where stray dogs gathered or from Dutch dyke workers ("Dykes"), with some linking it to the Latin for "dog islands" (Canariae Insulae) or even a satirical play. The "Isle" part refers to its U-shaped Thames location, technically an island when docks cut across it, while "Canary Wharf" itself comes from the Canary Islands fruit trade.
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of East London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Poplar takes its name from the native trees (Populuscanescens and Populus nigra) that once thrived on the moist alluvial soil beside the marshes.
The Bloody Tower was not only used for keeping prisoners locked in; it was also built to keep people out! See the Tower's awe-inspiring portcullis, which could shut off the gate passage below, and learn about the building's history as part of this great medieval fortress.
One Canada Square is a skyscraper in Canary Wharf, London. It is the third tallest building in the United Kingdom at 770 feet above ground level, and contains 50 storeys.
When you casually walk through Canary Wharf and spot Jason Statham filming The Beekeeper 2 🎬 It's a movie set everything you see is staged and safely filmed under professional supervision. No one was harmed! Filmed on 1 November 2025🚨🎥 #jasonstatham #beekeeper #movieset #canarywharf.
Crossrail Place Roof Garden. Free to visit and open daily to the public until 9pm or sunset in summer, Crossrail Place Roof Garden is one of London's largest. Wander through and admire the exotic plants, relax on one of the many benches nestled in hidden pathways or enjoy a show in the amphitheatre.
The Isle of Dogs is commonly known as Canary Wharf, a nickname given to one of the many wharfs in these docks which handled goods imported from the Canary Islands. This former docklands is now a global financial hub. Before that it was marsh and grazing.
Canary Wharf is located on the strangely named Isle of Dogs. The Isle of Dogs was first mentioned in Henry III's papers and it is thought that Edward III kept greyhounds here. 3. Canary Wharf itself takes its name from the sea trade with the Canary Islands, whose name originates from the Latin 'canis' (dogs).
The Isle of Dogs established itself at the heart of the dock workers community until the trade fell into steep decline and eventually ceased to exist in the 1970s. Although its working-class roots are still prevalent today, the regeneration of the docklands area since the late-1980s mean its image has been transformed.
Over in the City of London, you'll find Watling Street. Connecting Queen Victoria Street to St Paul's Cathedral (and offering a pretty gorgeous view in the process), Watling Street puts forward a fairly convincing case as the oldest street in London.
East London, especially around Canary Wharf has more chinese people than other parts of London, mostly because many chinese prefer relatively newly built buildings(rent or buy) to live in, high-rise buildings are especially popular among mid to young aged chinese.
The Bishops Avenue. The Bishops Avenue, London N2, connects the north side of Hampstead Heath at Kenwood (Hampstead Lane), Hampstead to East Finchley and lies near or, at the south end, on the boundary between the London Boroughs of Barnet and Haringey. It is considered to be one of the wealthiest streets in the world.
