Greenwich
This page is about Greenwich in England. For other uses see Greenwich (disambiguation)Greenwich (
pronounced 'grenn-itch' , or by the locals) is a town, now part of the south eastern
urban sprawl of
London, on the south bank of the
River Thames in the
London Borough of Greenwich.
Greenwich is located at a latitude and longitude of 51° 28' 38" N and 0º 0' 0" E/W (by definition).
|
The Spanish Galleon Tavern in Central Greenwich, near the Market |
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Mean Time was at one time based on the time observations made at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, before being superseded by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 good museum of astronomical and navigational tools, particularly
John Harrison's
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. It is free to visit all these buildings. Greenwich also features the world's only museum dedicated to
fans, the
Fan Museum, in a Georgian townhouse at 10â€"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.
The
Cutty Sark (a
clipper ship) is in a dry dock by the river. 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
1966â€"
67. In
2004,
Gypsy Moth IV was removed from Greenwich for extensive restoration work to be followed by a return to the sea and a second sailing career.
By the Cutty Sark, there is a pedestrian tunnel, the
Greenwich foot tunnel, to the
Isle of Dogs. This exits at
Island Gardens, from where the famous view of
Greenwich Hospital painted by
Canaletto can be seen. On the riverside in front of the north-east corner of the Hospital is an obelisk erected in memory of
Arctic explorer
Joseph René Bellot.
The
Millennium Dome was built on a disused
British Gas site here. It is next to
North Greenwich tube station, about three miles from Greenwich town centre, north of
Charlton. The
Greenwich Millennium Village is a new development nearby.
The
University of Greenwich and the
Trinity College of Music are now based in the
Greenwich Hospital (formerly the Royal Naval College) buildings between Greenwich Park and the river. These buildings were designed by Sir
Christopher Wren and include the
Painted Hall, painted by
James Thornhill, and
St Paul's Chapel. These are also open to the public without charge.
The church dominating the western side of the town centre is
St Alfege's Church, designed by
Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1714, and marks the place where
Archbishop of Canterbury Alfege (also spelt '
Alphege') was murdered in 1012.
The town centre features
Greenwich Market, a covered market popular with tourists at the weekends and another theatre the
Greenwich Playhouse.
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'.
(In alphabetical order)
*
Astronomer Royal Sir
George Airy lived in the White House, Croom's Hill.
*
Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, statesman and man of letters, lived in the
Ranger's House, Chesterfield Walk,
SE10.
* Dr
Samuel Johnson, compiler of the first English dictionary, lived in Greenwich Church Street when he first came to London in
1736.
* Comedian
Dan Leno rented accommodation at the Spreadeagle Tavern, Stockwell Street in
1902.
*
Poet Cecil Day-Lewis lived at 6 Croom's Hill.
*
Jazz and
blues guitarist
Billy Jenkins ran the Wood Wharf rehearsal studios by the
Cutty Sark during the
1980s.
*
Architect Samuel Sanders Teulon was born in Greenwich.
* Artist Sir
James Thornhill was said to have lived in Park Hall on Croom's 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 Croom's Hill.
* General
James Wolfe lived in McCartney House in Croom's Hill, and was buried in
St Alfege's Church.
*
King Henry VIII was born at Greenwich on 28 June
1491.
Nearby tube stations:
*
North Greenwich tube station can be reached directly by 129 or 188 bus from the town centre.
Nearby
Docklands Light Railway (DLR) stations:
*
Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich*
Island Gardens*
Greenwich (The same as the railway station)
Nearby railway stations:
*
Greenwich*
Maze Hill*
Blackheath*
Deptford*
Westcombe Park*
CharltonNearby River service piers:
*
Greenwich Pier, close to
Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich*
Greenwich Visitor Centre*
Greenwich Mean Time*
Greenwich World Heritage Site â€" official website*
Greenwich Tourist Information Centre*
Greenwich Guide*
Map
