North Woolwich

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

North Woolwich

Greater London
OS grid reference	TQ435795
London borough	Newham
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	E16
Dial code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
London Assembly	City and East
European Parliament	London
List of places: UK • England • London

North Woolwich is a place in the London Borough of Newham. It is located north of Woolwich proper which is on the south bank of the River Thames. The two places are linked by the Woolwich Ferry and the Woolwich foot tunnel.

Historically North Woolwich consisted of two nearby tracts of land, totalling 412 acres (1.7 km²), on the north bank of the River Thames, however the eastern part of this territory is today considered part of Beckton and not associated with North Woolwich.

The now disused North Woolwich railway station, which was closed in preparation for future transport developments which will use sections of the line, is situated adjacent to the ferry terminal. An extension of the Docklands Light Railway to the area opened in December 2005; this currently terminates at King George V, a further extension south of the river, to Woolwich Arsenal, will open in 2009.

North Woolwich old railway museum. The platform for the recently closed North London Line station is visible on the far right. (February 2007)

North Woolwich old railway museum frontage. (February 2007)

This situation now means that North Woolwich now sports two old railway stations. The old station buildings are adjacent to the recently closed North London Line station. Happily, these are not derelict but have housed the Old Station Museum since 1984, which is devoted to the history of the Great Eastern and London and North Eastern railways.

Administratively, North Woolwich was part of Kent at least since the Norman Conquest when one of William the Conqueror's lords, Hamon, was granted land on both sides of the Thames at this spot, probably to enable him to enjoy the taxes from cross-river traffic. It lay in the parish of Woolwich and later the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich, but was absorbed into the London Borough of Newham in 1965 when Woolwich south of the Thames became part of the London Borough of Greenwich. The population peaked just before the First World War, and reduced substantially in the Second World War when it was heavily bombed.