Shadwell is a district of East London, England, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets , 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Charing Cross. It lies on the north bank of the Thames between Wapping (to the west) and Ratcliff (to the east). This riverside location has meant the area's history and character have been shaped by the maritime trades. Historically a hamlet of the Manor and Ancient Parish of Stepney, it became a parish in its own right in 1670. the area of the Hamlet and Parish included areas south of Cable Street including Shadwell Basin and the King Edward Memorial Park.