The history of The Angel in Rotherhithe dates back several centuries. In the 15th century, an inn known as The Salutation was operated by monks from Bermondsey Priory in the vicinity of the current site. The inn served as a rest house for travelers.

By 1682, The Angel had relocated to a position diagonally opposite its present location. During this time, it gained fame and was referred to as "the famous Angel" by Samuel Pepys, the renowned diarist of that era. The former Redriffe stairs, which provided access to the river, were situated west of The Angel.

As the 19th century approached, The Angel marked the beginning of a continuous stretch of buildings along the riverfront, extending eastward. However, there were occasional breaks in the building frontage, which allowed for access to the river via stairs.