Deptford

Today Deptford is part of the London borough of Lewisham. In the 16th century, the best way to reach the city was by boat. But you could also take the overland route. Butt Lane (now Deptford High Street) was the main link road to London. West of Deptford the land was very fertile. Travellers to and from London passed through fields, apple orchards and fields where dye plants such as madder grew. To the east, towards Greenwich, were the royal hunting grounds.¹
The small town gained importance thanks to Henry VIII, who established the royal shipyard here. Under Elizabeth I, not only her own ships but also those of the Royal Navy were both built and maintained there. It was also the preferred port of call for ships to and from Flushing and was less than seven miles from Scradbury.²
By 1590 Deptford had a population of around 4,000, most of whom settled near the shore, known as Deptford Strand. It extended from Sayers Court to Deptford Creek and from the Thames to the road from Greenwich to Rotherhithe (now Evelyn Street). The flourishing trade had made the town, where mainly wood was handled, big. Charles Howard, the Lord High Admiral of the Fleet and Patron of the Admiral’s Men, and Sir John Hawkyns, one of the captains in the fight against the Armada, lived in Deptford.³