Greenwich: Difference between revisions

'''Greenwich''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-uk-LBGreenwich.ogg|ˈ|ɡ|r|ɛ|n|ɪ|tʃ}} {{respell|GREN|itch}}, {{IPAc-en|-|ɪ|dʒ}} {{respell|-|ij}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|r|ɪ|n|-}} {{respell|GRIN|-}}<ref>{{OED|Greenwich}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (David Jones)|year=2011|editor1-first=Peter|editor1-last=Roach|editor2-first=Jane|editor2-last=Setter|editor3-first=John|editor3-last=Esling|edition=18th|location=Cambridge|publisher=Cambridge University Press}}</ref>) is aan town[[List of areas of London|area]] in south-east [[London]], England, within the [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] of [[Greater London]]. It is situated {{convert|5.5|mi|km|1}} east-south-east of [[Charing Cross]].

Greenwich is notable for its [[maritime history]] and for giving its name to the [[Prime meridian (Greenwich)|Greenwich Meridian]] (0° longitude) and [[Greenwich Mean Time]]. The town became the site of a royal palace, the [[Palace of Placentia]], from the 15th century and was the birthplace of many [[House of Tudor|Tudors]], including [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] and [[Elizabeth I]]. The palace fell into disrepair during the [[English Civil War]] and was demolished to eventually be replaced by the [[Greenwich Hospital (London)|Royal Naval Hospital for Sailors]], designed by Sir [[Christopher Wren]] and his assistant [[Nicholas Hawksmoor]]. These buildings became the [[Old Royal Naval College|Royal Naval College]] in 1873, and they remained a military education establishment until 1998 when they passed into the hands of the Greenwich Foundation. The historic rooms within these buildings remain open to the public; other buildings are used by [[University of Greenwich]] and [[Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance]].

[[Tumulus|Tumuli]] to the south-west of Flamsteed House,<ref>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.</ref> 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 (emperor)|Honorius]] to the 5th century. This was excavated by the [[Channel 4]] television programme ''[[Time Team]]'' in 1999, broadcast in 2000,<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich-park/things-to-see-and-do/ancient-greenwich/roman-remains|title=Roman remains|publisher=Royal Parks|access-date=24 July 2015|archive-date=29 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529095025/https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich-park/things-to-see-and-do/ancient-greenwich/roman-remains|url-status=dead}}</ref> and further investigations were made by the same group in 2003.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/2003_greenwich.html|title=Greenwich London|journal=Time Team|publisher=Channel 4|date=2 February 2003|access-date=13 June 2011}}</ref>

Subsequent monarchs were regular visitors, with [[Henry IV of England|Henry IV]] making his will here, and [[Henry V, King of England|Henry V]] granting the manor (for life) to [[Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter]], who died at Greenwich in 1426. The palace was created by [[Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester]], Henry V's half-younger brother and the regent to his son - [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]] - in 1447; he enclosed the park and erected a tower ([[Greenwich Castle]]) on the hill now occupied by the [[Royal Observatory, Greenwich|Royal Observatory]]. The Thames-side palace was renamed the [[Palace of Placentia]] or Pleasaunce by [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]]'s consort [[Margaret of Anjou]] after Humphrey's death. The palace was completed and further enlarged by [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]], and in 1466 it was granted to his queen, [[Elizabeth Woodville|Elizabeth]].<ref name=Green/> In 1485, Edward IV establishedhad previously been given permission by the Pope to establish a [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] [[friary]] of [[Order of Friars Minor|Observant Friars]] in Greenwich, afterthis beingwas givendone permissionin by1485, thetwo Popeyears after his death; the first Observant House in England, it was located on land adjacent to the palace.<ref name="HERR">{{cite web |title=Greenwich Greyfriars |url=https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=2999a72a-088a-4c5e-b2d1-18ba214920c4&resourceID=19191 |website=Historic England Research Records |publisher=Heritage Gateway |access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref> After rejecting papal authority in 1534, the Franciscan Observants were suppressed; refounded as Franciscan Conventual, the friary was dissolved in 1538, then re-established in 1555 for Observants, before the friars were finally expelled in 1559 and the friary was demolished in 1662.<ref name="HERR"/>

In 1838 the [[London and Greenwich Railway]] (L&GR) completed the very first steam railway in London. It started at London Bridge and had its terminus at London Street (now Greenwich High Road). It was also the first to be built specifically for passengers, and the first ever elevated railway, having 878 arches over its almost four mile stretch. South of the railway's viaduct over [[Deptford Creek]] is a Victorian [[Deptford pumping station|pumping station]] constructed in 1864 as part of Sir [[Joseph Bazalgette]]'s [[London sewerage system]] (the Southern Outfall Sewer flows under Greenwich town centre).

In 1853 the local Scottish Presbyterian community built a church, St Mark's, nearby which was extended twice in the 1860s during the ministry of [[Adolph Saphir]], eventually accommodating 1,000 worshippers.<ref>{{cite webDNB |urlwstitle=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/ Saphir,_Adolph_(DNB00)|title=Dictionary of National Biography 1850-1900 Adolph Saphir|yearvolume=1897 50 |volumelast=50}}</ref><ref>{{Cite bookCarlyle |urlfirst=https://en E.wikisource I.org/wiki/Saphir,_Adolph_(DNB00) |titleauthor-link=Saphir, AdolphE. I. (DNB00)|last=Carlyle |firstpage=Edward299 Irving|yearshort=1897 |volume=501}}</ref>

[[File:Greenwich Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg|thumb|A map showing the wards of Greenwich Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916.]]

Greenwich is covered by the Greenwich West and Peninsula wards of the London Borough of Greenwich, which was formed in 1965 by merging the former [[Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich]] with that part of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich]] which lay south of the [[River Thames]]. Along with [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]] Westcombe, [[Charlton, London|Charlton]], Glyndon, [[Woolwich]] Riverside, and [[Woolwich Common]], it elects a [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Greenwich and Woolwich]]; currently the MP is [[Matthew Pennycook]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/greenwichandwoolwich |title=ukpollingreport.co.uk » Greenwich and Woolwich |publisher=ukpollingreport.co.uk |access-date=24 September 2009 |archive-date=1 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801002918/http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/greenwichandwoolwich/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The market is part of "the island site", bounded by College Approach, Greenwich Church Street, [[King William Walk]] and Nelson Road, near the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory. The buildings surrounding the market are [[Grade 2 listed]] and were established in 1827–1833 under the direction of [[Joseph Kay (architect)|Joseph Kay]].<ref name="Heritage">{{cite web|title=Maritime Greenwich: World Heritage Site – Management plan|url=http://visitgreenwich.org.uk/sites/default/files/medialibrary/final_maritime_greenwich_management_plan_2014_1v3_1_1.pdf|website=Visit Greenwich|publisher=Royal Borough of Greenwich|access-date=26 September 2016|archive-date=10 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210095125/http://www.visitgreenwich.org.uk/sites/default/files/medialibrary/final_maritime_greenwich_management_plan_2014_1v3_1_1.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Phantom">{{cite web|title=Historic Regeneration Schemes|url=http://www.thegreenwichphantom.co.uk/2007/10/historic-regeneration-schemes/|website=The Greenwich Phantom|access-date=26 September 2016}}</ref> A market roof was added in 1902–1908 (and replaced in 2016). Later significant development occurred in 1958–1960 and during the 1980s.

| Caption = [[Old Royal Naval College]] and [[University of Greenwich]] buildings on the south bank of the [[River Thames]]