Once the location of the naval shipyards of the East India Company, Blackwall already existed at the time of the Vikings. The Blackwall shipyards acquired great renown by building firstly fast sailing ships, then iron ships. It is possible to cross the Thames through the Blackwall Tunnel built in 1897 for vehicles and pedestrians. It is now only used to go north since a new tunnel was built alongside it in 1963 for southbound traffic.