iPedia Free Information Center

Information about Greenwich

This article is about Greenwich in England. For other uses, see Greenwich (disambiguation).
Maritime Greenwich*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Enlarge picture
Old Royal Naval College and University of Greenwich buildings on the bank of the River Thames
State Party United Kingdom
TypeCultural
Criteriai, ii, iv, vi
Reference795
RegionEurope and North America
Inscription History
Inscription1997  (21st Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List.
† Region as classified by UNESCO.


Greenwich (pronounced /'ɡɹɛn.ɪtʃ/ "GREN-itch", /'ɡɹɪn.ɪdʒ/ "GRIN-idge" or /'ɡɹɛn.ɪdʒ/ "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

Greenwich
Enlarge picture
Greenwich (Greater London)

OS grid referenceTQ395775
London borough Greenwich
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region London
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LONDON
Postcode district SE10
Dialling code 020
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
UK Parliament Greenwich and Woolwich
London Assembly Greenwich and Lewisham
European Parliament London
List of places: UK • England UK • London
Coordinates:

Etymology

Grenewic, or Grenevic, originates with the Saxons, and is literally the green village or the village on the green[3]. It became known as East Greenwich to distinguish it from West Greenwich or Deptford Strond, the part of Deptford adjacent to the Thames,[4] 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."[5].

Early settlement

Tumuli to the south-west of Flamsteed House[6], 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[3].

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[3].

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[3].

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[3].

The Royal association with Greenwich was now broken, but the group of buildings remain that form the core of the World Historic Site.

The view from Greenwich Park, with the Queen's House and The Old Royal Naval College in the foreground
.

Sites of interest

Enlarge picture
Spiral staircase and lantern at the Queen's House in Greenwich
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.
Enlarge picture
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 54ft 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.
Enlarge picture
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[7]. 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)

Enlarge picture
Arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich Council
Enlarge picture
The Spanish Galleon Tavern in Central Greenwich, near the Market

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 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: 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: 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

River

Many tour boats run from Central London to the west and Woolwich Thames Barrier to the east. There are also regular commuter Thames Clipper services from Greenwich Pier to Canary Wharf, the City of London and the West End of London.

Pedestrian and cyclists

The Thames Path National Trail runs along the riverside. The Greenwich foot tunnel provides pedestrian access to the southern end of the Isle of Dogs, across the river Thames.

National Cycle Network route 1 runs through the foot tunnel (although cycles must not be ridden in the tunnel itself).

See also

References

1. ^ Wells, John C. (2000). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 2nd edition, Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. ISBN 0-582-36467-1. 
2. ^ Jones, Daniel (1997). English Pronouncing Dictionary, 15th edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-45903-6. 
3. ^ 'Greenwich', The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent (1796), pp. 426-93 accessed: 26 May 2007
4. ^ 'Parishes: Greenwich', The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 1 (1797), pp. 372-420
5. ^ "Greenwich-the instant village", Elisabeth Woolley, The Times'', October 13, 1967; pg. 11
6. ^ Flamsteed House - designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1675-76, was the home of the first Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed and the heart of Charles II's new Royal Observatory.
7. ^ The Greenwich Peninsula gas works, being themselves notable, as being the subject of an IRA bomb attack in the 1970s, in which one gasometer - and its contents - were spectacularly destroyed.

External links

 •  • [ e]
London Borough of Greenwich
 •  • [ e]
Main districts of the London boroughs • List of places in London
Acton Barking • Barnes • Barnet • Battersea • Beckenham Bermondsey • Bethnal Green • Bexleyheath • Bloomsbury • Brentford • Brixton • Bromley • Camberwell • Camden Town • Carshalton • Catford • Chelsea • Chingford • Chislehurst • Chiswick • City • Clapham • Clerkenwell • Coulsdon • Croydon • Dagenham • Deptford • Ealing • East Ham • Edmonton • Eltham • Enfield Town • Feltham • Finchley • Forest Hill • Fulham • Greenwich • Hackney • Hammersmith • Hampstead • Harrow • Hendon • Highbury • Highgate • Hillingdon • Holborn • Hornchurch • Hounslow • Ilford • Isle of Dogs • Isleworth • Islington • Kensington • Kentish Town • Kilburn • Kingston upon Thames • Lambeth • Lewisham • Leyton • Marylebone • Mayfair • Mitcham • Morden • Nag's Head • New Malden • Orpington • Paddington • Peckham • Penge • Pinner • Poplar • Purley • Putney • Richmond • Romford • Ruislip • Shepherd's Bush • Shoreditch • Sidcup • Soho • Southall • Southgate • South Norwood • Southwark • Stepney • Stoke Newington • Stratford • Streatham • Surbiton • Sutton • Sydenham • Teddington • Thamesmead • Tooting • Tottenham • Twickenham • Upminster • Uxbridge • Walthamstow • Wandsworth • Wanstead • Wapping • Wealdstone • Welling • Wembley • West Ham • Westminster • Whitechapel • Willesden • Wimbledon • Wood Green • Woodford • Woolwich
 •  • [ e]
World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom
 England
 Scotland
 Wales
Northern Ireland Giant's Causeway
Overseas territories

Places

Several places are named Greenwich or Greenwich Township:
  • Australia
  • Greenwich, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney
  • Canada

..... Click the link for more information.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO
..... Click the link for more information.
State Party Natural WHS Cultural WHS Mixed WHS Total WHS Zone
 Afghanistan 2 2 Asia-Pacific
 Albania 2 2 Europe & North America
 Algeria 6 1 7 Arab States
 Andorra 1 1 Europe & North America
..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
"Dieu et mon droit" [2]   (French)
"God and my right"
Anthem
"God Save the Queen" [3]
..... Click the link for more information.

..... Click the link for more information.
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading out of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area.[1] Residents of sprawling neighborhoods tend to live in single-family homes and commute by automobile to work.
..... Click the link for more information.
London
Canary Wharf is the centre of London's modern office towers
London shown within England
Coordinates:
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
Dieu et mon droit   (French)
"God and my right"
Anthem
No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is "God Save the Queen".
..... Click the link for more information.
Thames

The Thames in London


Country | England
Regions | Gloucestershire,Oxfordshire,Berkshire,Buckinghamshire,Surrey,Greater London,Kent

..... Click the link for more information.
London Borough of Greenwich

Shown within Greater London
Geography
Status London borough
Area
— Total Ranked 302nd
47.35 km
ONS code 00AL
Admin HQ Woolwich
Demographics
Population
..... Click the link for more information.
Time zones of Europe:

blue Western European Time (UTC+0)
Western European Summer Time (UTC+1)
red Central European Time (UTC+1)
Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)
yellow Eastern European Time (UTC+2)
Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3)
..... Click the link for more information.
The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude.

The Ordnance Survey (OS) devised the national grid reference system, and it is heavily used in their survey data,
..... Click the link for more information.
The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the structure of local government in England is not uniform, there are currently four types of district level subdivision.
..... Click the link for more information.
London Borough of Greenwich

Shown within Greater London
Geography
Status London borough
Area
— Total Ranked 302nd
47.35 km
ONS code 00AL
Admin HQ Woolwich
Demographics
Population
..... Click the link for more information.
The ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England.
..... Click the link for more information.
Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was created in 1965 and covers the City of London and 32 London boroughs. Its area also forms the London region of England and the London European Parliament constituency.
..... Click the link for more information.
region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England in the United Kingdom.

History


..... Click the link for more information.
Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The administrative area was created in 1965 and covers the City of London and 32 London boroughs. Its area also forms the London region of England and the London European Parliament constituency.
..... Click the link for more information.
Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping, concerning these countries; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the parts of former Yugoslavia[1]
..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
Dieu et mon droit   (French)
"God and my right"
Anthem
No official anthem specific to England — the anthem of the United Kingdom is "God Save the Queen".
..... Click the link for more information.
country, state, and nation can have various meanings. Therefore, diverse lists of these entities are possible. Wikipedia offers the following lists:

..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
"Dieu et mon droit" [2]   (French)
"God and my right"
Anthem
"God Save the Queen" [3]
..... Click the link for more information.
A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system.[1] Including the correct post town in the address increases the chances of a letter or parcel being delivered on time.
..... Click the link for more information.
The London postal district is the area in England, currently of 241 square miles,[1] to which mail addressed to the LONDON post town is delivered. The area was initially devised in 1856[2]
..... Click the link for more information.
UK postal codes are known as postcodes.

UK postcodes are alphanumeric. These codes were introduced by the Royal Mail over a 15-year period from 1959 to 1974 — the full list is now available electronically from the Royal Mail as the Postcode Address File.
..... Click the link for more information.
London SE postcode area


Postcode area SE
Postcode area name London SE
Post towns 1
Postcode districts 29
Postcode sectors 103
Postcodes (live) 20,922
Postcodes (total) 29,228
..... Click the link for more information.
UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003.
..... Click the link for more information.
020 is the dial code for Greater London in the United Kingdom.

Coverage

The code serves an area similar to Greater London, formerly known as the London Director Area.
..... Click the link for more information.
    Royal Botanic Gardens Constabulary)
  • Royal Parks Constabulary
On 1 April 2004, following a review of the Royal Parks Constabulary by Anthony Speed, the Metropolitan Police took on the responsibility of policing the Royal Parks in Greater London and the RPC was

..... Click the link for more information.
Metropolitan Police Service

Metropolitan Police Service area
Coverage
Area Greater London
(except City of London)
Size 1,578 km² (609 sq mi)
Population 7.
..... Click the link for more information.


This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
Herod_Archelaus


page counter