  greenland dock is the oldest of london's riverside wet docks, located in rotherhithe in the area of the city now known as docklands. it used to be part of the surrey commercial docks, most of which have by now been filled in. greenland dock is now used purely for recreational purposes; it is one of only two functioning enclosed docks on the south bank of the river thames. ==history== ===howland great wet dock=== thumb|left|view of the howland great wet dock in 1717 looking west across the rotherhithe peninsula the dock was originally laid out between 1695-99 on land owned by the aristocratic russell family of the 1st duke of bedford. the russells had been given a portion of land in lower rotherhithe by a wealthy streatham landowner, john howland, as part of a wedding dowry for his daughter elizabeth, granddaughter of sir josiah child - the dictatorial chairman of the east india company, who married wrothesley russell, the marquis of tavistock. they immediately set about "improving" the rural property, obtaining parliamentary permission in 1695 to construct a rectangular dock with an area of about , capable of accommodating around 120 ships. it was named howland great wet dock in honour of john howland. designed by local shipwright, john wells, the dock was intended to refit east india ships. in a picture of about 1717, it can be seen in a rural setting some miles outside the (much smaller) city of london, lined with trees on three sides (to act as windbreaks) and with the russell family's mansion situated at the western end. unlike the later docks, it was not built with cargo traffic in mind; it did not have walls, warehouses or other commercial facilities. instead, it was promoted as being capable of accommodating ships "without the trouble of shifting, mooring or unmooring any in the dock for taking in or out any other". it was essentially a re-fitting base where ships could be repaired and berthed in a sheltered anchorage. it was aided in this regard by its proximity to the dockyards at deptford.  ===whaling and timber trades=== thumb|manuscript plan of the greenland dock, 1763 from the 1720s, greenland whalers also used the dock and substantial blubber boiling houses were built to produce oil on the south side. howland great wet dock was sold by the fourth duke of bedford in 1763. extensive usage by the greenland whaling ships pr
Geography_of_Southwark London_docks Port_of_London Rotherhithe