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Local history

 
The borough of Greenwich is well-known for its naval and architectural heritage, but did you also know that:

  • The first railway to open in London (1836) ran between London and Greenwich?
  • The first golf club in England was set up on Blackheath?
  • One of the earliest mulberry trees to come to this country is in Charlton?
  • A ferry has operated here since 1308?
  • The first telephone cable to be laid under the Atlantic to America was manufactured in Charlton?
  • The Blackwall Tunnel was the largest underwater tunnel in the world when it opened in 1897?

Modern history

Modern history starts almost a thousand years ago in 1012, when the Vikings murdered Alfege, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in Greenwich. The site is marked by St. Alfege Church, designed by the famous architect Hawksmoor.

Royalty

Royalty favoured the area for centuries. Eltham Palace dates from the 14th century (the Great Hall survives to this day), while the palace at Greenwich dates from the 15th century.

Areas

  • Plumstead and Blackheath

Plumstead was a prosperous village, dependent on sheep and fruit farming, while Blackheath was a popular resting place for armies and pilgrims, and a popular spot for highwaymen. Blackheath achieved notoriety in 1381, when Wat Tyler led more than 100,000 people to gather on the heath to protest against the poll tax.

  • Maritime Greenwich

Greenwich is well known as the home of time - Greenwich Mean Time has been recognised as the standard for the world’s time zones from 1884.

  • Eltham

Eltham was home to England’s kings for over 200 years, including Edward II and III, Henry IV, V,  VI, and VIII. Geoffrey Chaucer is another famous habitué of the area – he was Clerk of Works there.


A naval, military and industrial centre

The growth of the Greenwich as a naval, military and industrial centre began with Henry VIII, born at the palace of Placentia 1491 (now the site of the Old Royal Naval College). He established Woolwich Dockyard to build his famous ship "The Great Harry". The palace of Placentia was demolished after 1660 to build a Royal Hospital for seamen later the Royal Naval College.

The Royal Arsenal manufactured gunpowder, armaments and munitions for the army and navy while the riverside factories produced gas, cables, soap, linoleum and much more for markets at home and abroad.

History and heritage

The history of Greenwich is documented in a large and ever-growing collection of books, papers, photographs and other documents together with a large collection of artefacts which are held at the Greenwich Heritage Centre at the Royal Arsenal.

Greenwich Heritage Centre

The Heritage Centre contains exhibitions and collections relating to the history of the borough, including permanent displays on local history and regularly changing exhibitions.

Staff at the Centre provide a mine of information about the borough and encourage visitors to undertake research into the history of the borough, as well as their own family’s history, using their wide range of research materials and facilities. 

Further information is found in our 'history and heritage' section.

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