Greenwich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This page is about Greenwich in England. For other uses see Greenwich (disambiguation)
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| State Party |  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iv, vi |
| Identification | #795 |
| Regionb | Europe and North America |
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Inscription History |
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| Formal Inscription: | 1997 21st Session |
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a Name as officially inscribed on the WH List |
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Greenwich (pronounced 'grin ij' as pronounced by the English not 'gren ij' [ˈgrɛnɪtʃ] or by some 'grin-nitch' [ˈgrɪnɪtʃ]) 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.
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[edit] Geography
Greenwich is located at a latitude and longitude of 51° 28' 38" N and 0º 0' 0" E/W (by definition).
[edit] 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Mean Time was at one time based on the time observations made at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, before being superseded by Coordinated Universal Time.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 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 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) is in a dry dock by the river. A major project to conserve the Cutty Sark has now begun, and is scheduled to end in September 2008. Access to the ship and its environs is subject to the needs of the restoration, but can be checked here. 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 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-west 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 on the Greenwich Peninsula. 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.
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.
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'.
[edit] Famous residents
(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.
- 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.
- 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, 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
- 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 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.
[edit] Transport
[edit] Underground
Nearby tube stations:
- 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Rail
Nearby railway stations:
Trains from Deptford, Greenwich, Maze Hill and Westcombe Park railway stations run to London Charing Cross and London Cannon Street to the west. To the east the trains go to Dartford with a limited service to Gravesend and Gillingham.
[edit] 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.
- 386 between Greenwich and Woolwich shopping centre.
- 422 between Bexleyheath shopping centre and North Greenwich tube station.
- N1 between Thamesmead town centre and Tottenham Court Road.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Your Online Guide to Greenwich
- Greenwich World Heritage Site — official website
- Greenwich Tourist Information Centre
- Greenwich Guide
- Map
