Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
21
DOWN IN DEPTFORD
Deptford
, just west of Greenwich, is not high up on most people's list of places to visit in
London. However, it does have a rich history thanks to the
Royal
Dockyards
, which existed
here (and at Woolwich) from 1513 until 1869. It was at Deptford in 1581 that Francis Drake
moored the
Golden Hinde
(see p.229) after circumnavigating the globe, had Elizabeth I on
board for dinner, and was knighted for his efforts. And it was in Deptford that the playwright
Christopher Marlowe
was murdered (possibly) in the company of three men who had links
with the criminal underworld and the Elizabethan intelligence service.
All that remains of the old dockyards today are a few of
cers' quarters hidden in the Pepys
housing estate, and the
Master Shipwright's House
of 1708, at the bottom of Watergate
Street - a little downstream, there's even a waterfront statue of Peter the Great (flanked by a
dwarf and an empty chair), who came to Deptford in 1798 to learn about shipbuilding. You can
get an idea of how prosperous the area once was just off the High Street at
St Paul's Church
,
the local architectural gem, designed by Thomas Archer in 1720, whose interior Pevsner
described as “closer to Borromini and the Roman Baroque than any other English church”.
Reminiscence Centre
11 Blackheath Village • Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm • Free •
T
020 8318 9105,
W
age-exchange.org.uk • Blackheath train station
from London Bridge
It's worth venturing down the charmingly named Tranquil Vale into the village-like
centre of Blackheath, if only to visit the
Reminiscence Centre
,
situated opposite the
train station. A favourite with the older folks of Blackheath, the centre is packed full of
memorabilia from photos to two-pin plugs, chalk powder and a whole host of everyday
objects now rarely seen. The centre also acts as the local library and out the back, you
can get a cuppa from the café which features a rapid-wire cash system, via which
banknotes could be whizzed from cashier to till worker.
Woolwich
In 1847, a visitor to
Woolwich
commented that it was the “dirtiest, filthiest and most
thoroughly mismanaged town of its size in the kingdom”. With its docks and factories
defunct, Woolwich remains one of the poorest parts of the old Docklands. However, if
you have a fascination for military history, it's worth exploring the old dockyards and
arsenal, for their architecture and the
Firepower
artillery museum. The other reason to
come to Woolwich is to visit the
Thames Barrier
, an awesome piece of modern
engineering and the largest movable flood barrier in the world.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By DLR and train
The easiest way to reach Woolwich is by
DLR from Canning Town; you can also take a train from
London Bridge to Woolwich Dockyard (for the Royal
Artillery Barracks) or Woolwich Arsenal (for the Arsenal).
By boat
During the week, there's a limited commuter boat
service to and from Woolwich Arsenal, and at the weekend
a more regular service; there are also boat trips that cruise
round the barrier (
W
tfl.gov.uk for details).
Royal Arsenal
Close to Woolwich Arsenal DLR station, on the market square is
Beresford Gateway
,
built in 1828 as the Arsenal's main entrance, but now separated from the rest of the
complex to the north by busy Beresford Street/Plumstead Road.
Across the road, you enter
Dial Square
, overlooked by some of the Arsenal's most
historic buildings, built by the likes of Vanbrugh, Wren and Hawksmoor: the Main
Guard House, with its eighteenth-century Doric portico; Verbruggen's House, opposite,
begun in 1772, and former residence of the Master Founder; and the Royal Brass
Foundry, made of wood, but encased in brick, from 1717. To the north, the
Dial Arch
Block
is distinguished by its central archway, sporting a sundial, pillars and a pile of
