Greenwich is a Royal Borough located to the east of Central London. As the name itself suggest, Greenwich is known for its extensive and very well kept open spaces. Naturally, the main claim to fame of the area comes from the fact that the Prime Meridian goes through the area and is often referred to as the Greenwich Meridian. But the history and current character of Greenwich are not things to be overlooked either.
At present Greenwich covers a territory of 47.35 square kilometres and has population of 224 800. Because of the Prime Meridian, Greenwich is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Notable landmarks here include:
- The O2 Arena
- Greenwich Park
- The Royal Artillery Barracks
- The Greenwich Observatory
- Woolwich Town Hall
- The Royal Naval College
As one can imagine, Greenwich is a place that is pretty popular with tourists. What few people actually thing about however is that the borough contains a number of pretty great residential developments and whole districts that represent some of the finest places in the capital to live in. Let us check some of those out.
Abbey Wood – abundance of green spaces
Abbey Wood is located in
the SE2 postal district in the borough of Greenwich. The area is nearly 17 kilometres away from Charing Cross. At first this might sound like a lot, but in truth the very comfortable transport links make Abbey Wood a well-connected area with quick and easy access to Central London. Local residents can make use of the fine open green spaces that are spread all over Abbey Wood – Bostall Gardens, Bostall Heath, Abbey Wood Park etc. All those places offer facilities for numerous sports, including cricket, tennis, football, bowling and basketball as well as play areas for kids. One of the most notable people related to the area of Abbey Wood is snooker champion Steve Davis who grew up here.
Charlton – history and architecture
Another great place to check out if you are looking for the best area in Greenwich to live in is of course Charlton SE7. It lies just to the east of the borough’s centre. Naturally, the broad tree-lined streets and comfortable developments in Charlton make it a dream place to live in London. A major local landmark is the famous Charlton House. This old Jacobean building was constructed in the very beginning of the 17th century. It was built for Sir Adam Newton, at that time a tutor to Prince Henry, the son of James I, and Dean of Durham too. The Charlton House is considered to be the best preserved grand Jacobean house in Greater London at the present moment and it is definitely so. Another thing Charlton is known for is the Charlton Athletic Football Club, currently playing in League One. The club was founded in 1911. The won the Peoples Cup in 2011.
Eltham – the exemplary suburb
Eltham SE9 is the place where you are going to find all the pros of a modern suburb while at the same time remain close to all the example of the built-up urban areas of London. Eltham is a pretty attractive residential area which is demonstrated clearly by the number of people who live there – 35 459 according to the last census. Eltham is reputed for its strong community spirit, as well as for the unusually high number of open green spaces even for Greenwich. In this regard, of high note is the woodland to the north of the suburban centre.
Greenwich – the heart of the borough
Naturally, when we are talking about great places to live in the borough, we cannot miss to mention the district that actually gives it its name. Greenwich is home to over 30 000 people and it is one of the earliest established districts in London. It is on the south bank of the Thames and many local amenities are related to the naval history of England. The Cutty Sark, the famous clipper ship, is preserved on dry dock on the riverfront. The Old Royal Naval College is also here, and so are The National Maritime Museum and the famous Greenwich Market. Greenwich is a vibrant and rather interesting place for sure.