'Greenwich' (pronounced ''"GREN-itch"'', ''"GRIN-idge"'' or ''"GREN-idge"'')
[1][2] is a town, now part of the south-eastern
urban sprawl of
London,
England, on the south bank of the
River Thames in the
London Borough of Greenwich. It is best known for its maritime history and as the location of
Greenwich Mean Time.
History
Etymology
''Grenewic'', or ''Grenevic'', originates with the
Saxons, and is literally the green village or the village on the green
['Greenwich', The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent (1796), pp. 426-93 accessed: 26 May 2007]. It became known as ''East Greenwich'' to distinguish it from ''West Greenwich'' or ''Deptford
Strond'', the part of
Deptford adjacent to the
Thames,
[3] but the use of ''East Greenwich'' to mean the whole of the town of Greenwich died out in the 19th century. However, Greenwich was divided into the two
Poor Law Unions of ''Greenwich East'' and ''Greenwich West'' from the beginning of
Civil registration in 1837, the boundary running down what is now Greenwich Church Street and Crooms Hill, although more modern references to "''East''" and "''West''" Greenwich probably refer to the areas east and west of the
Royal Naval College and
National Maritime Museum corresponding with the West Greenwich
council ward. An article in ''
The Times'' of
October 13,
1967 stated: "''East Greenwich'', gateway to the
Blackwall Tunnel, remains solidly
working class, the manpower for one eighth of
London's
heavy industry. ''West Greenwich'' is a hybrid: the spirit of Nelson, the ''Cutty Sark'', the Maritime Museum, an industrial waterfront and a number of elegant houses, ripe for development.''"
[4].
Early settlement
Tumuli to the south-west of Flamsteed House
[5], in
Greenwich Park, are thought to be early
Bronze Age barrows re-used by the Saxons in the 6th century as burial grounds. To the east between the Vanbrugh and Maze Hill Gates is the site of a Roman villa or temple. A small area of red paving
tesserae protected by railings marks the spot. It was excavated in 1902 and 300 coins were found dating from the emperors
Claudius and
Honorius to the 4th century.
Alphege and the Danes
During the reign of
Ethelred the Unready, the
Danish fleet anchored in the river Thames off Greenwich for over three years, with the army being encamped on the hill above. From here they attacked
Kent, and in the year 1012, took the city of
Canterbury, making
Alphege the Archbishop, their prisoner for seven months in their camp at Greenwich. They stoned him to death for his refusal to allow his ransom (3,000 pieces of silver) to be paid and kept his body, until a stick that had been immersed in his blood, blossomed. For this miracle his body was released to his followers, he achieved sainthood for his martyrdom,, and in the 12th century, the parish church was dedicated to him. The present church on the site west of the town centre is
St Alfege's Church, designed by
Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1714 and completed in 1718. Some vestiges of the Danish camps may be traced in the names of Eastcombe and
Westcombe, on the borders of nearby
Blackheath[.]
Royal Greenwich
The Domesday Book records the manor of Greenwich as held by the Bishop Odo of Bayeux; his lands were seized by the crown in 1082. A royal palace, or hunting lodge, has existed here since before 1300, when Edward III is known to have made offerings at the chapel of the Virgin Mary. Subsequent monarchs were regular visitors, with Henry IV making his will here, and Henry V granting the manor (for life) to Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, who died at Greenwich in 1417. The palace was created by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, the regent to Henry VI in 1447; enclosing the park and erecting a tower on the spot of the Royal Observatory. It was renamed the Palace of Placentia or Pleasaunce by Henry VI's consort Margaret of Anjou after Humphrey's death. The palace was completed and further enlarged by Edward IV, and in 1466 it was granted to his Queen, Elizabeth[.]
The palace was the principal residence of Henry VII, and his sons, Henry (later Henry VIII) and Edmund Tudor were born here, and baptised in St Alphege's. Henry favoured Greenwich over nearby Eltham Palace, the former principal royal palace. Both Mary (February 8, 1515) and Elizabeth (September 7, 1533) were born at Greenwich. The palace of Placentia, in turn, became Elizabeth's favourite summer residence[.]
During the Interregnum, the palace and park were seized to become a 'mansion' for the Lord Protector. At The Restoration, the Palace of Placentia had fallen into disuse and was pulled down. New buildings began to be established as a grand palace for Charles II, but it was never completed. It was suggested that the buildings be adapted for a Greenwich Hospital, designed by Wren, and later completed by Hawksmoor. Anne of Denmark had a house built by Inigo Jones on the hill above, overlooking the hospital and river - now a part of the National Maritime Museum[.]
The Royal association with Greenwich was now broken, but the group of buildings remain that form the core of the World Historic Site.
Sites of interest
The Royal Greenwich Observatory is located in Greenwich and the Prime Meridian passes through the building. Greenwich Mean Time was at one time based on the time observations made at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, before being superseded by Coordinated Universal Time. While Greenwich no longer hosts a working astronomical observatory, a ball still drops daily to mark the exact moment of 1 pm (13:00), and there is a museum of astronomical and navigational tools, particularly John Harrison's marine chronometers.
The observatory is situated in Greenwich Park, which used to be the grounds of the Royal Palace of Placentia. At the bottom of the park is the National Maritime Museum which also includes the Queen's House, designed by Inigo Jones.
The 24-hour clock at Greenwich
The Old Royal Naval College is Sir Christopher Wren's domed masterpiece at the centre of the heritage site. The site is administered by the Greenwich Foundation who open it daily, free of charge, to visitors. Several of the buildings are let to The University of Greenwich and one, the King Charles block, to Trinity College of Music. The Painted Hall, was painted by James Thornhill, and the Chapel of St Peter & St Paul- St Paul's Chapel interior designed by James Athenian Stuart, both buildings are open to the public as is the Visitor Centre from which guided tours run daily 7 days a week.
Greenwich also features the world's only museum dedicated to fans, the Fan Museum, in a Georgian townhouse at 10–12 Croom's Hill (fee payable). Also on Croom's Hill, on the corner of the junction with Nevada Street is Greenwich Theatre, formerly ''Crowder's Music Hall'' - one of two Greenwich theatres, the other being Greenwich Playhouse.
The ''Cutty Sark'' (a clipper ship) has been preserved in a dry dock by the river. A major fire in May 2007 destroyed a part of the ship, although much had already been removed for restoration. Its future has yet to be decided. Nearby for many years was also displayed ''Gipsy Moth IV'', the 54 yacht sailed by Sir Francis Chichester in his single-handed, 226-day circumnavigation of the globe during 1966–67. In 2004, ''Gypsy Moth IV'' was removed from Greenwich, and after restoration work completed a second circumnavigation in May 2007. On the riverside in front of the north-west corner of the Hospital is an obelisk erected in memory of Arctic explorer Joseph René Bellot.
Near the remains of the Cutty Sark, a circular building contains the entrance to the Greenwich foot tunnel. This connects Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs on the northern side of the River Thames. The north exit of the tunnel is at Island Gardens, from where the famous view of Greenwich Hospital painted by Canaletto can be seen.
Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Notice the
time ball atop the Octagon Room.
The O2(formerly the Millennium Dome) was built on a disused British Gas site on the Greenwich Peninsula[6]. It is next to North Greenwich tube station, about three miles east from the Greenwich town centre, northwest of Charlton. The Greenwich Millennium Village is a new urban regeneration development to the south of the Dome.
East Greenwich has a small park, East Greenwich Pleasaunce, which was formerly the burial ground of Greenwich Hospital.
The town centre features Greenwich Market, a covered market popular with tourists at the weekends. The owners, Greenwich Hospital are undertaking public consultation to consider ideas to regenerate the site whilst retaining the Market.
In 1997, maritime Greenwich was added to the list of World Heritage Sites.
In recognition of the suburb's astronomical links, Asteroid 2830 has been named 'Greenwich'.
Famous residents
(In alphabetical order)
★ Astronomer Royal Sir George Airy lived in the White House, Crooms Hill.
★ Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, statesman and man of letters, lived in the Ranger's House, Chesterfield Walk, SE10.
★ Musician Jools Holland lives in Greenwich.
★ Dr Samuel Johnson, compiler of the first English dictionary, lived in Greenwich Church Street when he first came to London in 1736.
The Spanish Galleon Tavern in Central Greenwich, near the Market
★ Comedian Dan Leno rented accommodation at the Spreadeagle Tavern, Stockwell Street in 1902.
★ Poet Cecil Day-Lewis lived at 6 Crooms Hill.
★ Jazz and blues guitarist Billy Jenkins ran the Wood Wharf rehearsal studios, situated to the west of the Cutty Sark, during the 1980s.
★ Henry Kelsey (c. 1667 – 1724), early explorer of Canada, was born and married in East Greenwich, and buried in St Alfege's Church
★ Indie band Lucky Soul are based in Greenwich
★ Dr James Monro of Bethlem Hospital fame began his medical practise here in 1713
★ Architect Samuel Sanders Teulon was born in Greenwich.
★ Artist Sir James Thornhill was said to have lived in Park Hall on Crooms Hill (originally designed for architect John James who never actually occupied the house).
★ Interior designer and television presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen lives in the Borough and often appears in support of local activities.
★ Architect Sir John Vanbrugh lived at 121 Maze Hill in a house of his own design overlooking Greenwich Park.
★ Benjamin Waugh, founder of the UK charity the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, lived in Crooms Hill.
★ General James Wolfe lived in McCartney House in Crooms Hill, and was buried in St Alfege's Church.
★ King Henry VIII was born at Greenwich on 28 June 1491.
Education
:''For education in see the main London Borough of Greenwich article
Transport
Underground
Nearest tube station (approx 3 miles, 5 km from Greenwich town centre):
★ North Greenwich tube station can be reached directly by 129 or 188 bus from the town centre.
North Greenwich is in Zones 2/3 and is on the Jubilee Line. Trains go to Stratford to the east and Stanmore to the west via central London.
Docklands Light Railway
Nearby Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations:
★ Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich in the town centre
★ Greenwich (the same as the railway station) south-west of the town centre
★ Island Gardens to the north, across the river on the Isle of Dogs
DLR trains go to Lewisham to the south with north-bound services going to Bank and Stratford via Canary Wharf. The DLR has direct connections with the Tube.
Rail
Nearby railway stations:
★ Greenwich (nearest to town centre)
★ Maze Hill
★ Blackheath
★ Deptford
★ Westcombe Park
Trains from Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park railway stations run to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street in central London to the west. To the east the trains go to Dartford with a limited service to Gravesend and Gillingham.
Buses
★ 108 between Lewisham station and Stratford station.
★ 129 between Greenwich and North Greenwich tube station (North Greenwich bus station).
★ 177 between Thamesmead town centre and Peckham bus garage.
★ 180 between Belvedere industrial estate and Lewisham town centre.
★ 188 between Holborn and North Greenwich tube station.
★ 199 between Catford bus garage and Canada Water Station.
★ 286 between Greenwich and Sidcup Queen Mary's Hospital.
★
العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
