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127-671: Bathway Quarter is an area of historic interest in the centre of Woolwich , South East London . Most buildings in the Bathway Quarter are Grade II*, Grade II or locally listed , while the area as a whole is designated a conservation area by Greenwich Council . With the exception of the Old Town Hall, the listed buildings date from the late-19th or early-20th century. Several were designed by local architect Henry Hudson Church, their civic use reflected in their grand elevations formed of red brick with stone detailing. The area

254-502: A Brutalist L-shaped building that continues on Polytechnic Street (various architects, led by George Trevett, 1962–63; nominated for demolition in 2016). The eastern part of the street consists of several late-Victorian commercial buildings from the 1890s. The corner building, formerly the London and Provincial Bank, and the adjacent building, now boarded up, were both designed by Henry Hudson Church. The south side of Wellington Street, with

381-476: A 259-home housing development with an 84,000 sq ft (7,800 m ) Tesco hypermarket , completed in 2014. In the same year, the latter development was named Britain's worst new building, being awarded the ' Carbuncle Cup ' for a design judges described as "oppressive, defensive, arrogant and inept". The same development was later the subject of a £46.7m claim by Tesco against Willmott Dixon for cladding replacement; Willmott Dixon then sought to reclaim

508-568: A 450-seat black box theatre and a riverside restaurant. The Greenwich Heritage Centre will move to new premises. The site will further include offices, studios and rehearsal spaces for resident companies such as Academy Performing Arts, Dash Arts, Chickenshed Theatre , Protein Dance, Greenwich Dance and Greenwich+Docklands International Festival . The creative district opened as Woolwich Works in September 2021. Woolwich Arsenal DLR station ,

635-805: A British soldier based at the Royal Artillery Barracks, was murdered close to the barracks by two Islamic extremists . The 16th Regiment Royal Artillery left Woolwich in 2007, but the Woolwich barracks still house the Royal Artillery Band and more recently the Second Battalion Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment and the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery , although the relocation of these has been announced for 2028. Recent and anticipated regeneration in

762-680: A CNAA degree was superior to many university degrees, especially in engineering, due to the external independent validation process employed by the CNAA, the oversight of the engineering institutions, and innovations such as sandwich degrees . Such innovations made a polytechnic education more relevant for professional work in applying science and advanced technology in industry. In certain parts of UK culture, an engineering, applied science and technological education tended to be looked down upon socially. Industries and activities such as "manufacturing" and "engineering" were perceived by some to be things of

889-606: A capacity of 1,680. It became the Woolwich Hippodrome in 1908 and a full-time cinema in 1923. Rebuilt in 1955 as the Regal Cinema, it closed in 1982, was then used as a nightclub and demolished in 2015. The Granada cinema and the Odeon, later Coronet , both seating around 2,500, are imposing buildings from the 1930s that have both been converted into Pentecostal churches. The civil parish of Woolwich , roughly

1016-726: A conservation area. The Neoclassical façade of the Royal Artillery Barracks ( James Wyatt , 1776–1802) is the longest façade in London, stretching along the north end of the common. Across the road, Government House (1781), was the quarters of the Garrison Commandant from 1855 to 1995. Of the nearby Garrison Church of St George only the shell remains after it was bombed during the Second World War . Its Neo-Romanesque architecture and remnants of mosaics are still impressive. John Nash 's Rotunda ,

1143-579: A covered market opened in Plumstead Road but never formed a threat to the main market. Beresford Square had the largest public houses (of which Woolwich had many). Powis Street and Hare Street, laid out in the early 19th century, became the main shopping streets. A number of Victorian shop facades, many designed by local architect Henry Hudson Church, have survived. In 1868 the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society

1270-462: A faculty of "Design and Technology". The creation of polytechnics is regarded by many as a controversial experiment, with no clear consensus as to its overall effectiveness. The original focus of the polytechnic institutions was STEM subjects, especially degrees in engineering, applied science, and life sciences, but soon after they formed, they developed faculties in humanities, law, architecture, journalism and other professional occupations. With

1397-418: A few houses from this period survive. The Market House had its main entrance on William Street, marked by a turret. On the south side it was bordered by East Street, later renamed Bathway. To either side of the market, Upper and Lower Market Street were laid out (now Market Street and Polytechnic Street). The first Woolwich Town Hall was built on the corner of William Street and Upper Market Street in 1840 but

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1524-517: A foreign ecclesiastic institution. As a result of this tenure Woolwich is not mentioned in the Domesday Book ; it is thought that the 63 acres listed as Hulviz refer to North Woolwich , which was then uninhabited. Some of the Ghent lands passed to the royal manors of Dartford and Eltham as early as 1100; the larger part of the parish, referred to as the manor of Woolwich but in effect not

1651-778: A fortune at the Royal Mint , bought riverside holdings in Woolwich and Plumstead in the 1530s, some of it former church land that had become available after the Dissolution of the Monasteries . His mansion was Tower Place, for some time the largest dwelling in Woolwich. In the 1650s the Board of Ordnance was given permission to prove guns in the grounds of the mansion (an area known as the Warren) and twenty years later they purchased Tower Place itself. The Warren then developed from

1778-478: A full manor, became an Eltham dependency in the 14th century. Not included were a riverside quay held by Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate , a wharf held by St Mary's Priory, Southwark , and land around Plumstead owned by Bartholomew de Burghersh, 2nd Baron Burghersh , later referred to as the Burrage Estate. Medieval Woolwich was susceptible to flooding. In 1236 many were killed by a flood. Woolwich Ferry

1905-567: A large bay window. The plinth of red Aberdeen granite contains a commemoration stone with a dedication and the names of the Woolwich Board of Health , which helped establishing the library. The Old Town Hall further down the road was almost identical with the Police Court, but unlike the latter it survived: a handsome classical structure with a pediment below which "Town Hall" is inscribed (Th. Kinton & G.H. Graham, 1841–42). On

2032-459: A laundry. The baths were modernized around 1960 and closed in 1982, after which it was used as a community centre and then as a students' union of the University of Greenwich . After the departure of the university from Woolwich, it has served as an administrative building and a rehearsal studio for drama students. Until recently, all the buildings on the north side of the street were part of

2159-482: A number of public sculptures: one of Roman origin, several statues and reliefs from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and a number of modern sculptures. One of the Woolwich Arsenal DLR station entrances features a large mural in tiles by Michael Craig-Martin . Polytechnic (United Kingdom) Like polytechnics or technological universities ( institute of technology ) in other countries, their aim

2286-585: A place of storage into a collection of armament factories, military stores and research establishments, which were collectively named the Royal Arsenal by George III in 1805. The complex played a central role in Britain's military and industrial expansion: in wartime, tens of thousands of workers found employment here; between wars, unemployment loomed. The Board of Ordnance maintained its own establishment of military personnel, many of whom were based in

2413-408: A plan was presented for the redevelopment of the so-called Island Site, the eastern section of the Bathway Quarter. The plan entails the restoration of the historic buildings, demolition of buildings considered non-historic, and the creation of a new entertainment quarter including a cinema, cafés, restaurants and food and beverage shops. Woolwich Town Hall is a fine example of Edwardian Baroque in

2540-515: A probably Celtic oppidum , established sometime between the 3rd and 1st century BCE, in the late Roman period re-used as a fort, were found at the current Waterfront development site between Beresford Street and the Thames. According to the Survey of London (Volume 48: Woolwich), "this defensive earthwork encircled the landward sides of a riverside settlement, the only one of its kind so far located in

2667-481: A quarter of dockyard labourers' wages. At the height of the Napoleonic Wars , there were more soldiers (3,000) than dockyard and ropeyard workers (2,000), while the arsenal employed as many as 5,000. After the end of the wars, thousands were discharged, causing great distress. In the 1840s, a steam factory gave a new lease of life to the dockyard and the 1850s saw a huge expansion of the arsenal during and after

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2794-525: A relatively small Kentish settlement until the beginning of the 16th century, when it began to develop into a maritime, military and industrial centre. In 1512 it became home to Woolwich Dockyard , originally known as "The King's Yard", founded by Henry VIII to build his flagship Henry Grace à Dieu ("The Great Harry"). Many great ships were built here, such as the Prince Royal , the Sovereign of

2921-461: A role that was maintained throughout the 16th to 20th centuries. After several decades of economic hardship and social deprivation , the area now has several large-scale urban renewal projects. Woolwich is situated 8.5 miles (13.7 km) from Charing Cross . It has a 1.6 mi (2.5 km) long frontage to the south bank of the River Thames. From the riverside it rises up quickly along

3048-576: A round brick building with a leaded tent roof, until 2001 housed the Royal Artillery Museum and now serves as a boxing ring for the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery in nearby Napier Lines Barracks. The Royal Military Academy at the south end of Woolwich Common was also designed by James Wyatt and has an almost equally long façade in Mock Tudor style. Other military buildings that survive include Connaught Barracks (built as

3175-614: A row of early Victorian houses are included in the Bathway Quarter conservation area. Other buildings such as the Woolwich Central Health Centre and the Jobcentre Plus are not. The largely post-war Woolwich Grand Theatre was demolished in 2015, the vacant site offering surprising views of the back of Woolwich Town Hall. Adjacent to the construction site, a modest town hall annex was added in 1929–30. A tapering square brick chimney (25 m tall) towers over

3302-533: Is a plain brick 1730s building with a spireless tower. Other religious buildings of interest include the Roman Catholic St Peter's Church (by Pugin ), and two Sikh gurdwaras , one a former Methodist church , the other a former Masonic hall. Parks in central Woolwich are generally small. St Mary's Gardens has been laid out as a park in Romantic style on the grounds of the former churchyard of

3429-470: Is based in the historic Bathway Quarter in the centre of Woolwich. The old Grand Theatre, which briefly reopened in the 2010s, closed in 2015. The Tramshed, until 1953 an electricity sub-station for the borough's tramways , is a music and entertainment venue run by the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Woolwich currently has no movie theatres. Cinemas are included in the plans for Spray Street quarter and

3556-456: Is bounded by the following streets: Wellington Street to the south, Market Street to the west (a section of the west side of the street is included), Calderwood Street to the north, and Thomas Street to the east. Polytechnic Street divides the quarter in two sections; the western part containing mainly (former) public buildings, the eastern part mainly Polytechnic buildings. The latter forms a solid educational block. Bathway runs east-to-west through

3683-543: Is facing redevelopment. The round entrance building of the Woolwich foot tunnel dates from 1912. Further west, the Thames Barrier is an interesting example of modern architecture and technical achievement. The Thames Path is a National Trail that connects these sites. Elsewhere, monumental buildings testify of Woolwich's rich military history. Woolwich Common with its surrounding buildings has been designated

3810-648: Is the only building not owned by the Powis Street Estate. 51°29′25″N 0°03′54″E  /  51.490283°N 0.06492019°E  / 51.490283; 0.06492019 Woolwich Woolwich ( / ˈ w ʊ l ɪ tʃ , - ɪ dʒ / ) is a town in southeast London , England , within the Royal Borough of Greenwich . The district's location on the River Thames led to its status as an important naval, military and industrial area;

3937-618: The London Plan of 2004-16, Woolwich is identified as an "opportunity area", as well as one of Greater London 's major centres (currently 35) that has the potential to become a metropolitan centre (currently 13). In order to achieve this, Greenwich Council aims to strengthen Woolwich' historic town function as a major employment, shopping and leisure centre, as well as improving the design of its buildings, streets and open spaces. The Woolwich Town Centre Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document , adopted by Greenwich Council in 2012, designated

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4064-459: The Crimean War . The presence of the dockyard, the arsenal and other military institutions stimulated economic growth in other areas, notably in commercial activities and entertainment. The ropeyard was established around 1570 and survived until 1832. Throughout the 17th century two glass factories were active near Glass Yard, owned by Sir Robert Mansell from Greenwich , who also managed

4191-600: The Docklands . The North Kent Line from London via Greenwich and Woolwich to Gillingham opened in 1849. The station building was rebuilt in 1906 and again in 1992–93. Woolwich was also on the route of two London trams of the first generation (1881–1952). The post-war period brought massive changes to the town's fabric and infrastructure. Roads were widened and entire neighbourhoods pulled down to make room for modern housing, some of it in tower blocks. The widening of Woolwich High Street and Beresford Street left little of

4318-858: The Fröbel -influenced principal of Blackheath Kindergarten Training College. In the 18th century, Woolwich Cricket Club , later Royal Artillery Cricket Club, were well-known cricket clubs. Cricket and other sports were mainly played by military officers and students at the Royal Military Academy . Arsenal F.C. was founded in 1886 by workers at the Royal Arsenal . Initially known as Dial Square , then Royal Arsenal and then Woolwich Arsenal , they soon drew large crowds to their ground in Plumstead . In 1913 they moved to Arsenal Stadium in Highbury , North London. Royal Ordnance Factories F.C.

4445-624: The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 , this era ended when polytechnics became " new universities ", broadening their educational scope and conferring degrees in their own right. The University of Ulster was formed in 1984 from a merger between the New University of Ulster and the Ulster Polytechnic — the only such "trans binary merger" that crossed the divide. For many years, a central admissions system for polytechnics

4572-494: The Great Plague , the population was estimated at 1,200 or more, of which about 300 worked in the dockyard. Around 1720, the town's population had risen to 6,500, reaching almost 10,000 in 1801. During the booming wartime decade that followed, population reached a peak of 17,000. After a period of stagnation, building activity picked up in the 1830s. Woolwich' built-up area expanded southward with workers' houses mostly close to

4699-524: The Magistrates' Court (1912) formed a small administrative quarter. Other public buildings followed: the public baths (1894), the public library (1901) and a community health center (1939). The most ambitious private development in this area was the Grand Theatre, built after a design by Bertie Crewe and opened by Sir Henry Irving in 1900 . With a capacity of 1680 it was claimed to be

4826-540: The Provisional IRA bombed the Kings Arms pub in the town. The bombing killed two. During the 2011 England riots , Woolwich was one of the areas affected. Several buildings were attacked, with a few being destroyed. The Great Harry Wetherspoons' Pub was set on fire, though it was subsequently remodeled and reopened. On 22 May 2013 the murder of Lee Rigby in Woolwich caused upheaval. Drummer Lee Rigby,

4953-767: The Royal Military Artificers in 1803), Lewis Wyatt 's Grand Depot Barracks (begun in 1805-6 for the Field Train department), Cambridge Barracks (1842, of which the gatehouse still stands) and Red Barracks (1858, only the boundary wall and entrance gate remain). The latter two, on Frances Street, were originally built as the Royal Marine Barracks, Woolwich for the Woolwich Division of the Royal Marines , and each

5080-456: The art deco RACS department store , one of two imposing Co-op buildings in this part of town. In September 2012 Greenwich Council approved a plan to convert the building into apartments and retail. Across the road, the late Victorian former RACS Central Stores building was renovated and re-opened as a hotel. Further regeneration is centred on Hare Street and the Riverside. By relocating

5207-426: The civil parish of Woolwich in 1930. Parts of the wards Glyndon and Shooter's Hill are often referred to as Woolwich, although this definition is not accepted by all. The nearest areas are Abbey Wood , Blackheath , Charlton , Eltham , Greenwich , Kidbrooke , Lewisham , North Woolwich, Plumstead, Shooter's Hill, Thamesmead , Welling and Well Hall . Census data is collected by borough and ward so identifying

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5334-561: The old town . Woolwich was home to the experimental Auto Stacker car park. Built on the site of the Empire Theatre, it was officially opened in May 1961 by Princess Margaret . It never actually worked and was demolished in 1962. A multi-storey car park was built along Monk Street in 1971. Woolwich Polytechnic was founded in 1891. As well as providing a higher education facility, it also provided secondary school facilities, including

5461-556: The parish church of St Mary Magdalen . Some historic grave markers have been placed against the peripheral wall. Tom Cribb 's memorial, a lion rests its paw on an urn, stands near the northeast entrance. The park features a belvedere which offers views of the river Thames. At the Royal Arsenal, several new parks and gardens have been landscaped but some can only be accessed by residents. Shrewsbury Park, Plumstead Common , Woolwich Common and Oxleas Wood are situated higher up

5588-605: The parishes of Woolwich, Eltham and Plumstead formed the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich . In 1906 the new Woolwich Town Hall was inaugurated. In April 1965, following implementation of the London Government Act 1963 , Woolwich was merged into the London Borough of Greenwich , since 2012 the Royal Borough of Greenwich . The administrative buildings of the borough are in Woolwich, at

5715-696: The 18th century the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Corps of Royal Engineers were established in Woolwich, followed by the Royal Military Academy . Other military institutions completed the picture of the garrison town that Woolwich had become in the early 19th century. The town has a distinctive housing history and in the Bathway Quarter it has an equally distinctive civic centre. Although repeatedly rebuilt, its architectural heritage reflects its unusual and important history. The older parts of

5842-527: The 18th century the navy yard remained the town's main employer with between 500 and 1,400 men working in the docks. Due to the malarial marshlands, it was not a popular place to work and for that reason Woolwich dockyard workers were paid as much as a third more than in other naval towns. These were mostly skilled artisans who were generally literate, Nonconformist and well-organized. The number of artillery men grew from around 200 in 1716 to around 1,500 in 1801. Soldiers were generally held in contempt, earning about

5969-414: The 1930s and 1960s. Its dominance of the area is reflected in the name changes of two of the bounding streets: in 1935 Lower Market Street became Polytechnic Street and three years later William Street was renamed Calderwood Street, after a local industrialist and Polytechnic chairman. In 1970, Woolwich Polytechnic merged with various other higher education institutions to form Thames Polytechnic which in 1992

6096-490: The Bathway Quarter became part of the Woolwich Conservation Area, including also Beresford Square , Greens End, General Gordon Square, parts of Woolwich New Road (including St Peter's Roman Catholic Church ), Powis Street , Hare Street, Mortgramit Square, parts of Woolwich High Street (south) and St Mary's Church and Gardens . Most of the civic buildings in the area are no longer in use as such, with

6223-610: The Bathway Quarter with the former Public Baths, the Old and New Town Hall , the former Magistrates Court and Police Station, the Old Public Library and several historic buildings of Woolwich Polytechnic. In nearby Powis Street and Hare Street some late Victorian shop façades have been preserved, notably by local architect Henry Hudson Church. The western end of Powis Street is dominated by two former Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society (RACS) department stores, one late Victorian,

6350-516: The Bathway Quarter, together with the Powis Street and Hare Street area, a future conservation area , the third in Woolwich after the Royal Arsenal and Woolwich Common . According to the masterplan, the Bathway Quarter "has the potential to be a high quality, high-specification, loft-style place with bars, galleries and artists’ studios together with other uses such as a jazz club and creative industries such as architect's studios". In May 2019,

6477-515: The Bathway Quarter. Concerted development of the area did not begin until after 1799, when the Powis brothers, Greenwich brewers, took a 99-year lease of the land from the Bowater estate. In 1812 most of the land was acquired by Robert Ogilby, an Irish linen merchant. Thomas Street and William Street (now Calderwood Street) were laid out around 1805, taking their names from the Powis brothers. Around

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6604-611: The Callis Yard site (former council stables). Redevelopment plans for the Spray Street Quarter in 2018 included a proposal to demolish the 1936 market hall. For centuries the area between the Thames and the present-day A206 road has been dominated by docks, warehouses and factories, starting with the Royal Dockyard early in the 16th century, later eclipsed by the Royal Arsenal in scale and grandeur. In

6731-653: The German firm Siemens & Halske established a submarine-cable factory in the Dockyard area, which expanded rapidly. Woolwich market received its charter in 1618 but is certainly older. The market, which had long been established in the High Street in Old Woolwich (at a location called Market Hill), had gradually drifted towards the Royal Arsenal's main gatehouse , more or less at its present location. This

6858-580: The Island Site plans, while the Art and Science School is to be adapted for residential use; its entrance opposite Bathway will give access to the future entertainment area inside the block. The sculpted entrance of Portland stone is enriched by a bust of Athena and attributes of music and architecture. On the corner of Wellington Street stands the former London and Provincial Bank, now a bookmaker's shop (H. H. Church, 1891–92). The Earl of Chatham public house

6985-620: The Island site. The town was used as a location for the 2006 film Children of Men . Woolwich has one museum, the Greenwich Heritage Centre at the Royal Arsenal ( Firepower – The Royal Artillery Museum closed in 2016 after having been based in Woolwich for almost two centuries). Second Floor Studios in the Woolwich Dockyard area is one of London's largest concentrations of artists' studios . The town has

7112-399: The London area, that may have been a significant port, anterior to London". A path connected the riverside settlement with Watling Street ( Shooter's Hill ), perhaps also of Iron Age origin. Sandy Hill Road may be a remnant of this early path. It is generally believed that the name Woolwich derives from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning "trading place for wool". It is not clear whether Woolwich

7239-473: The London area. The Grade-II* listed building has two monumental façades, the main entrance facing Wellington Street. The imposing entrance of Portland stone has a colonnade and "broken" pediments . Its 40 m high clock tower can be seen from afar. Next to the town hall the former site of the Grand Theatre awaits redevelopment. The façade of the Polytechnic block on Wellington Street consists largely of

7366-439: The River Trent which flows through Nottingham) and Sheffield Hallam University ("Hallam" refers to the area of South Yorkshire in which much of Sheffield is situated). Ulster Polytechnic remains the only polytechnic to unite with a university; this occurred in 1984. The last degree-awarding institution to hold on to the name "polytechnic" after 1992 was Anglia Polytechnic University (which had only attained polytechnic status

7493-439: The Royal Arsenal constitute a conservation area . Most buildings of historic interest have been restored and given new uses. The Royal Brass Foundry (1717) is a grade I listed building , while the Dial Arch (1717–20), the Old Royal Military Academy (1720) and the Grand Store (1806–13) are Grade II* listed. Other listed buildings include the Royal Arsenal Gatehouse , Middle Gatehouse, the Main Guard House, two small guardhouses near

7620-446: The Royal Artillery Barracks was a famous cricket ground in the 18th century but is now merely used for recreational sports. Royal Arsenal Rugby Club plays rugby here. Greenwich Council has plans to demolish the 1980s Waterfront Leisure Centre next to the Woolwich Ferry and build a new leisure centre in Wilmount Street. There is an indoor climbing wall in the Docklands area. The University of Greenwich 's dramatic arts department

7747-400: The Royal Artillery Hospital in 1780), Green Hill Military School and Royal Herbert Hospital on Shooter's Hill . The Royal Engineers' HQ was moved to Chatham in 1856, but a small detachment remained in Woolwich, quartered in what is now Engineer House on Mill Hill, just off the Common. Several listed buildings were demolished in the 1970s, including James Wyatt's Engineers Barracks (built for

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7874-423: The Seas , the Royal Charles , the Dolphin and the Beagle . East of the dockyard a gun yard was established in the 1540s (for storage and maintenance of ships' canons and armaments) and a ropeyard followed in the 1570s. The dockyard went through many ups and downs but survived for three and a half centuries, closing down in 1869. Following the establishment of the dockyard, Martin Bowes who had gathered

8001-430: The Thames, the Shell Foundry Gatehouse, Verbruggen House and two twin pavilions in Laboratory Square, the oldest structures on the site (1696). At Woolwich Dockyard relatively little of historic interest remains. The main monumental building complex comprises a small cluster of 18th-century buildings: the entrance gate, the guardhouse and the so-called Clock House (Dockyard offices). A pair of 19th-century docks remain on

8128-401: The UK Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) from 1965 to 1992. The division between universities and polytechnics was known as the binary divide in UK higher education. The CNAA was chartered by the British government to validate and award degrees, and to maintain national quality assurance standards. The CNAA subject boards from their inception were from the universities; a CNAA degree

8255-435: The Warren. In 1716 it had (by a royal warrant of George I) formed the Royal Regiment of Artillery , which had its headquarters and barracks in the Warren, and in 1741 it established the Royal Military Academy there to train its future officers. In 1776 the Artillery moved out of the Warren into a new Royal Artillery Barracks on the edge of Woolwich Common . The Royal Military Academy followed, moving into its new premises at

8382-428: The Waterfront Leisure Centre, it is hoped that this part of Woolwich will attract new development. Other areas for redevelopment include Trinity Walk (former Connaught Estate, part of the One Woolwich masterplan for three housing estates), several sites along Wellington Street (including the Ogilby site and the so-called Island site), the Spray Street Quarter (between the existing station and the new Crossrail station), and

8509-419: The almost simultaneously-built Public Baths. The east side of the street is entirely occupied by former Polytechnic buildings. From north to south: the Polytechnic Lecture Hall (J.H. Anderson, 1935–36), the Art and Science School (H.H. Church, 1898), and the Brutalist L-shaped building that continues on Wellington Street (various architects, led by George Trevett, 1962–63). The latter building will be demolished in

8636-591: The area means that it is expected that the district, identified in the London Plan as "opportunity area", is expected to evolve from " major centre " to " metropolitan centre " within Greater London in the next few decades. Woolwich started to enjoy the beginning of a renaissance with the residential redevelopment of the former Royal Arsenal . Most historic buildings on the site have been renovated and converted into apartments. Several thousands of homes have been built or are under construction and thousands more are planned, mainly luxury apartments in tower blocks near

8763-478: The area of the present-day wards Woolwich Riverside and Woolwich Common, was formerly known as Woolwich Saint Mary . Until 1842, when the Old Town Hall was built, the vestry met in a room in the parish church of St Mary Magdalene . Woolwich became part of the London metropolitan area in the mid-19th century, although was officially still in Kent at the time. In 1889, with the formation of London County Council , Woolwich became officially part of London. In 1900

8890-404: The corner building, see Thomas Street below. The north side of Calderwood Street is not included in the designated conservation area. The red-brick gable of Woolwich Town Hall stretches along the southwestern section of Market Street. The Italianate clock tower near the Wellington Street corner rises up 40 meters and has rich ornaments in white stone. The side entrance of the town hall further down

9017-431: The dockyard and the ropeyard. Some of the masters here were Huguenots from Lorraine . Kilns producing Bellarmine stoneware may also have been controlled by continental potters. Other kilns produced earthenware and clay pipes. Kilns were also active on the hillside south of the town, where clay was readily available. Near Plumstead and Charlton were sandpits ; the sand was shipped from a wharf near Tower Place. In 1863,

9144-465: The early 1990s, the town centre had the typical appearance of a town in decline with discount retailers and charity shops using the empty stores and Greenwich Council occupying the empty office buildings. In 1974, the United Kingdom 's first branch of McDonald's opened in Powis Street. Amidst the decline, Woolwich was still considered to be a representative English town at the time. In 1974

9271-574: The early 19th century. The first British institution to use the name "polytechnic" was the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society in 1832, which it still retains, together with the affectionate nickname "The Poly". The London Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster ) emerged from the Royal Polytechnic Institution which was founded at Regent Street, London in 1838. The establishment of

9398-409: The exception of the town hall which has spilled over across the road (The Woolwich Centre, 2013). The Old Public Library now houses Greenwich Local Labour and Business. The Magistrates' Court building has been converted into apartments and similar plans exist for the police station. In 2015, the former Grand Theatre was demolished after a plan for a residential building on this site was approved. In 2016,

9525-637: The former Woolwich Town Hall . Woolwich declined as a town in the late 20th century, starting with the closure of the Royal Ordnance Factory in 1967 and the Siemens factory in 1968 and continuing as the Royal Arsenal scaled back operations and finally closed in 1994. Other employers like the Woolwich Building Society ("The Woolwich") and Morgan Grampian Publishers were taken over by other companies and moved away from

9652-536: The former wash house and laundry of the Woolwich Public Baths. The cream-coloured tiles on the lower part of the building date from a 1959-60 modernization campaign. North of Bathway, a richly-ornamented corner building designed by H.H. Church in 1892 served as the county court , which by that time also made use of the Old Town Hall, further north. The building is of red brick dressed with stone and terracotta decorations. Its Dutch gables are repeated in

9779-657: The hill and are all part of the South East London Green Chain . Repository Woods is a forested part of Woolwich Common. The area around the lake is a military training ground that is not open to the public. The same applies to Mulgrave Pond and Shooters Hill golf course. Arsenal F.C. is originally from Woolwich; Charlton Athletic 's stadium, The Valley , is approximately 2 km west of Woolwich. The area also has two Non-League football clubs: Bridon Ropes F.C. and Meridian F.C. , who both play at Meridian Sports & Social Club. Barrack Field at

9906-533: The humanities. The polytechnic legacy was to advance and excel in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in engineering and technology (STEM) education that now form a core faculty at many universities in the UK. While many former polytechnics have advanced their research focus, many have retained their original ethos by focusing on teaching for professional practice. The term 'poly' is used informally for pre-1992 polytechnics. Some polytechnics trace their history back to

10033-440: The largest suburban theatre in the country. In 1908 it became the Woolwich Hippodrome with variety shows twice nightly, and by 1923 it was a full-time cinema. The building was demolished in 1939 and rebuilding was stopped by the outbreak of war and only completed in 1955, as the Regal Cinema. From 1982 until its demolition in 2015 it had various uses, of which the nightclub N'tyce was perhaps the most notorious. Woolwich Polytechnic

10160-534: The municipal enclave. The Magistrates' Court building ( John Dixon Butler , 1911–12) had its main entrance on Market Street. The neo-classical building next to it was the rear elevation of the Woolwich Public Library, designed by H.H. Church in 1897 and built in 1900-01. Adjacent, a soup kitchen of 1913-14 was converted into a reading room for the library in 1979. The library closed in 2011 and was relocated consequently at The Woolwich Centre, opposite

10287-591: The municipal precinct, lending its name to the entire quarter. The Bathway Quarter is close to Woolwich Arsenal station . The area which is now Bathway Quarter was mostly virgin land up till the late-18th century. Old Woolwich was then situated further north, near the Thames and the Woolwich Ferry . A small cluster of cottages stood around Green's End. A few houses of the 1760s survive on Thomas Street, facing General Gordon Square. Formally these are not part of

10414-470: The new Public Library and council offices, is not part of the Bathway Quarter. The south side of this street is dominated by the Victorian brick and Portland stone façade of the Woolwich Public Baths (H.H. Church, 1892–94). The building had five entrances (separate entrances for women and first and second-class men) and contained two large swinging pools, 52 slipper baths (private baths), a wash house and

10541-547: The new universities, and transferred to colleges of further education. The polytechnics changed their names when they gained university status. Some simply dropped "polytechnic" and added "university" to their titles. For example, the Huddersfield Polytechnic became the University of Huddersfield. However, this was often not possible as there was another university with the name. One alternative title

10668-447: The northern slopes of Shooter's Hill towards the common, at 200 ft (60 m) and the ancient London–Dover Road, at 433 ft (132 m). The ancient parish of Woolwich , more or less the present-day wards Woolwich Riverside and Woolwich Common , comprises 734 acres (297 ha). This included North Woolwich , which is now part of the London Borough of Newham . The ancient parishes of Plumstead and Eltham became part of

10795-553: The opposite corner with Polytechnic Street stood the Duke of Wellington public house, which in 1935 had to make room for a new lecture hall of the Woolwich Polytechnic. The hall was designed by the head of the Polytechnic building department, James H. Anderson, with classic proportions and Bath stone detailing to mirror the Old Town Hall across the street. Further east and slightly set back, a large detached house from 1808

10922-443: The other end of the common in 1806. By that time various other units and services had begun to establish themselves in the vicinity, forming what became known as Woolwich Garrison . In the 19th and 20th century several large barracks were built, as well as military schools and hospitals. To this day, the town retains an army base (known as Woolwich Station) centred on the Royal Artillery Barracks and Napier Lines Barracks. Throughout

11049-700: The other one in Art Deco style. Nearer to the river are two large cinemas, both built in 1937 and both in use as Pentecostal church halls. The former Odeon Cinema (now occupied by the New Wine Church ) is a fine example of an Art Deco theatre; the former Granada Cinema has lavish interior decorations. Of the grand houses that once stretched along Woolwich Common and dotted the northern slopes of Shooter's Hill, little remains. Rushgrove House, Shrewsbury House and Woodhill Court survive but have lost their spacious gardens. Woolwich parish church, St Mary Magdalen

11176-399: The parish church along the Thames. In the early 19th century the commercial and administrative centre moved south to its present location around Powis Street , Beresford Square and the Bathway Quarter . Although 20th-century economic decline and infrastructural works have had their effects, there are still some interesting buildings in Woolwich town centre. The best preserved area is perhaps

11303-415: The past, boring, and "dirty". The connection with polytechnics did not help them to achieve status in the public eye. This attitude and influence led to an expansion of the more popular subjects in the "creative" industries, such as fashion, arts and design, media studies, journalism, film studies, and sports management. The social influence caused many polytechnics to change their faculty of "Engineering" into

11430-613: The polytechnic was a reaction to the rise of industrial power and technical education in France, Germany and the US. Degrees at the London Polytechnic were validated by the University of London . Woolwich Polytechnic (later Thames Polytechnic, now the University of Greenwich ) in south-east London, emerged in the 1890s and is considered the second-oldest polytechnic in the UK. The South-Western Polytechnic Institute (1895–1922)

11557-577: The population of Woolwich is not straightforward. If the area is taken to approximate to the Woolwich Common, Woolwich Riverside and Glyndon Wards, then the population was 54,790 at the time of the 2011 census. If it is also taken to include the Plumstead and Shooters Hill Wards then it rises to 84,959 at the 2011 census. Woolwich has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age . Remains of

11684-494: The population of the parish of Woolwich stood at the same level as 40 years earlier: 41,625. Victorian Woolwich was a rich social mix with skilled engineers along with unskilled labourers (including women and children) working at the Arsenal and other factories, large numbers of soldiers (making up 10–15% of the population) and a small bourgeoisie consisting of military officers and the commercial and professional elite. Some areas of

11811-753: The previous year). The word was soon identified as being off-putting to potential students, and the university became known as Anglia Ruskin University from 2005. At their peak there were over thirty polytechnics in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the English ones being primarily located in urban areas large enough to support industry or commerce, from which they usually took the city name. These are now universities. In England, there are: In addition, Wales has and Northern Ireland has: In Scotland there were comparable Higher Education institutions called Central Institutions but these very rarely used

11938-451: The river and officers' houses around Woolwich Common and further up the hill. In 1841 Woolwich had a population of 27,785; in 1861 this had risen to 41,695. At this point there were 4,596 houses in the parish, with little space left for building; further development took place in Plumstead , Charlton and North Woolwich , later also in Eltham . After a dip in the late 19th century, in 1901

12065-439: The river. Additionally, a riverside walk, several parks, a museum, a range of shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants, and a farmers' market have made the Arsenal a desirable place to live. In 2017 it was announced that the borough has acquired five historic buildings around No 1 Street to create a £31 million creative district. It will feature a 1,200-seat auditorium for concerts and events, a performance courtyard that seats up to 600,

12192-451: The road is ornamented with military and maritime symbols. Adjacent is the red-brick west façade of the Woolwich Public Baths, simpler than the main façade on Bathway, this section being the second-class part. The façade of the former Magistrates' Court (John Dixon Butler, 1911–12, now a residential building) takes up the northwestern section of the street. On the east side of Market Street only the former police station (J.D. Butler, 1909–10) and

12319-598: The same amount from its supply chain; When the case was heard in February 2023, two suppliers countered by saying the problems arose due to Willmott Dixon's negligence. The financial impact of the Woolwich Central project continued to be felt in July 2024, when Willmott Dixon said costs to fix the scheme had risen from £44m to £48m. On the other side of General Gordon Square the 1930s Woolwich Equitable building

12446-407: The same time, the Board of Ordnance formed Wellington Street to improve road links between the military developments at Woolwich Common and the Royal Arsenal . Wellington Street gradually became an important commercial street, although always secondary to Powis Street . A new market was set up in the area around 1810 but failed to take off and is remembered only in the name of Market Street, where

12573-630: The site of their 16th-century predecessors. The later development of the Dockyard in the Victorian period is represented by the Steam Factory and the Dockyard chimney, a prominent landmark, and further west by a group of buildings at the site of the Siemens Brothers factory. Between the Arsenal and the Dockyard lies an area that was once Old Woolwich, a part of the town where little of historical interest remains and that, once again,

12700-409: The still-extant (but now relocated) Woolwich Polytechnic School for Boys . In the 20th century the Polytechnic grew steadily, taking up almost an entire block in the Bathway Quarter and later spreading to other areas. In 1970 it merged with other local colleges and became Thames Polytechnic. In 1992 it was granted university status and a year later was renamed the University of Greenwich . In 2001,

12827-494: The terminus of the Docklands Light Railway 's London City Airport branch, opened on 10 January 2009. The 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics included Woolwich as a venue for shooting events , held in temporary facilities constructed on the grounds of the Royal Artillery Barracks and on Woolwich Common . A large-scale redevelopment of the area west of General Gordon Square started in 2011. The square

12954-540: The town hall on Wellington Street. For the building on the corner of Polytechnic Street, see below. The failed Market House of 1810 was replaced by the Police Court in 1840, and then by the Magistrates' Court in 1910. The Police Station next door made room for the Public Library, designed by H.H. Church in 1897 and opened by Lord Avebury in 1901. It features a busy façade of red brick and Portland stone with

13081-660: The town were notoriously overcrowded; the so-called Dusthole near the river was considered one of London's worst slums . Until the arrival of the railways, the Thames was the principal artery connecting Woolwich to London. In 1834 the Woolwich Steam Packet Company greatly improved river traffic and in 1889 the Woolwich Free Ferry made it easier to live in North Woolwich and work in the Arsenal, or to live in Woolwich and work in

13208-466: The town. Without major employers, the local economy was affected and unemployment soared. At the same time the town's demographics changed, with initially mainly Sikhs settling down in the area, later followed by black Africans, many from Nigeria . Despite immigration, the population of the parish reached a low of 17,000 in 1971. In general, Woolwich had lost its previous vigour. In the town's shopping district, department stores and chain stores closed. By

13335-641: The universities, and because the qualifications necessary to gain a place in one were sometimes lower than for a university (the failure rate in the first year of undergraduate courses was high, due to a rigorous filtering process). However, in terms of an undergraduate education, this was a misconception, since many polytechnics offered academic degrees validated by the CNAA, from bachelor's and master's degrees to PhD research degrees. In addition, professional degrees in subjects such as engineering, town planning, law, and architecture were rigorously validated by various professional institutions. Many polytechnics argued that

13462-666: The university relocated to the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich , leaving only a small administrative presence in Woolwich. Woolwich was the location of the first free kindergarten in the UK. The Woolwich Mission Kindergarten opened in 1900, and began in a room provided by a Christian socialist vicar of Holy Trinity church in New Charlton, the Rev. Walter Wragge. It was founded by his sister, Adelaide Wragge,

13589-496: Was "Metropolitan University", because the institution was situated in a city or other large metropolitan area . Such examples are the Manchester Metropolitan University and London Metropolitan University . These titles are often shortened to "Met" (Man Met, London Met) or an acronym (MMU, LMU). Others adopted a name which reflects the local area, such as Nottingham Trent University (named after

13716-489: Was a proper -wich town , since there are no traces of extensive artisanal activity from the Early Middle Ages. However, in 2015 Oxford Archaeology discovered a Saxon burial site near the riverside with 76 skeletons from the late 7th or early 8th century. The absence of grave deposits indicates that this was an early Christian settlement. The first church, which stood to the north of the present parish church,

13843-452: Was almost certainly pre-Norman and dedicated to Saint Lawrence. It was probably rebuilt in stone around 1100. From the 10th till the mid-12th century Woolwich was controlled by the abbots of St. Peter's Abbey in Ghent . This may have been a result of a gift of 918 from Ælfthryth , daughter of King Alfred and Countess of Flanders, in that case the first recorded grant of English lands to

13970-473: Was begun around 1805 by the Powis brothers, who were brewers themselves, but rebuilt in 1898, probably after a design by Church. Adjacent to it is another Brutalist extension of the Woolwich Polytechnic (various architects, led by George Trevett, 1963–64), then two 1930s school buildings (J. H. Anderson, 1937, and Figgis & Munby, 1931), and on the corner of Calderwood Street the Rotunda building. This building

14097-538: Was considered an innovative and influential design. The Marines departed with the closure of the Dockyard, whereupon the buildings were converted into barracks accommodation for various military corps. Rushgrove House (1806) housed the Colonel Commandant of the Marine Barracks (later Cambridge Barracks) from 1855. Virtually nothing is left of the old town of Woolwich which was near the ferry and

14224-471: Was demolished in 1960. Shortly after 1900, three new theaters opened with a combined capacity of 4,430. The Century cinema, which faced Beresford Square, was previously known as Premier Cinema and Royal Arsenal Cinema. It was built in 1913 with 669 seats, closed in 1961 and demolished for redevelopment in the late 1960s. The Grand Theatre in Wellington Street opened in 1900 as a variety theatre with

14351-576: Was designed by T.P. Figgis and A. E. Munby . The grand building in Portland stone with a full-height circular hall lit by a domical lantern, was ceremonially opened in June 1917, in the middle of war. In the Island Site plans the 1960s building and the one from 1937 will be replaced by new commercial and residential buildings; the other buildings will be restored with the exception of the Earl of Chatham, which

14478-458: Was established, which developed into one of the biggest consumer cooperatives in the country with two department stores in Powis Street, shops around South East London, manufacturing and food production plants, a building society, a funeral service and many other areas of entrepreneurship. Around 1500, at the beginning of the military and naval expansion, Woolwich had only a few hundred inhabitants. In 1665, when Samuel Pepys stayed here to escape

14605-419: Was first mentioned in 1308 but may be older. Around Bell Water Gate some private shipbuilding or repair may have existed in the 15th century. A windmill was mentioned around 1450. Several pottery kilns have been discovered north of Woolwich High Street and Beresford Street, testifying of a perhaps unbroken tradition of pottery production from at least the 14th century until the 17th century. Woolwich remained

14732-560: Was formally recognised as equivalent to a university degree, and the courses were under strict scrutiny by assessors external to the polytechnics. Sub-degree courses at these institutions were validated by the Business & Technology Education Council ( BTEC ). Some polytechnics were often seen as ranking below universities in the provision of higher education, because they lacked degree-awarding powers, concentrated on applied science and engineering education, and produced less research than

14859-513: Was founded for 'the provision of education for the poorer inhabitants of London'. It offered practical training in STEM subjects for adult men, alongside a day school for 13-15-year-old boys and girls. The Institute evolved into Chelsea Polytechnic , eventually merging into King’s College in the University of London . Most polytechnics were formed in the expansion of higher education in the 1960s. Academic degrees in polytechnics were validated by

14986-553: Was founded in 1891 as the Woolwich Polytechnic Young Men's Christian Institute. It was the second-oldest polytechnic in the United Kingdom. The original building from 1891 survives on Calderwood Street, although much altered. Between 1898 and 1965 the institute went through a period of expansion, gradually occupying virtually the eastern half of the Bathway Quarter, with major building campaigns in

15113-528: Was founded in response to Woolwich Arsenal joining the League but only lasted a few years. Woolwich had several theatres and cinemas . The Theatre Royal in Beresford Street, later renamed Empire Theatre or Woolwich Empire, was the biggest. Dating from the 1830s, it was enlarged in the 1880s and 1890s, seating about 2,000. It both served as a variety theater and cinema, ending up as a strip-joint. It

15240-425: Was granted university status and renamed University of Greenwich . By that time the Woolwich site was only one of seven campuses. In 2001 the university abandoned the Woolwich site, only leaving a small administrative presence in the former Woolwich Public Baths. The Polytechnic buildings were acquired by Powis Street Estates Ltd. in 2003 and renamed Island Business Centre with mixed commercial and educational use. In

15367-399: Was not approved by the authorities and a new market was set up in the Bathway Quarter around 1810. This proved to be a failure and is remembered only in the name of Market Street. Until 1879, the market at Beresford Square remained illegal and was regularly cleared by the police. After it was legalized, it had room for 136 stalls. Italo Svevo described it as "very lively" in 1903. In 1936,

15494-483: Was not seen as necessary. However, a large increase in applications resulted from funding cuts to universities in the early 1980s. The Polytechnics Central Admissions System was introduced, and handled the years of entry from 1986 to 1992. Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 they became fully fledged universities. After 1992, the former polytechnics (" new universities ") awarded their own degrees. Most sub-degree BTEC qualifications have been phased out of

15621-488: Was owned by the architect Henry Hudson Church who enlarged it in 1860. In 1891 Church incorporated it in the original building of Woolwich Polytechnic. The house survived numerous proposals for rebuilding "like a small nut in a large lump of toffee". The brick-and-terracotta Polytechnic building has lost its western bay, two Baroque turrets and other flourishes. Behind the façade, Church's house can still be admired, as well as an 1892 gymnasium with an open wooden-trussed roof. For

15748-713: Was re-landscaped, including a new water feature. The so-called Love Lane project involved demolition of several buildings including the Post Office, the Crown Building, the Director General public house , Peggy Middleton House and Thomas Spencer Halls of Residence. New buildings in the first phases of the Woolwich Central redevelopment included: the Woolwich Centre along Wellington Street (public library and council offices, completed in 2011), and

15875-479: Was refurbished. Next to Woolwich Town Hall on Wellington Street, the 1950s Woolwich Grand Theatre (formerly the ABC Regal Cinema, then Flamingo's Nightclub) briefly reopened as an arts centre with a cafe but in 2015 the building was demolished to make room for apartments. Redevelopment around the "Woolwich Triangle" at the west end of Powis Street is partly underway. It originally envisaged demolition of

16002-556: Was sold upon completion to the Metropolitan Police to serve as a court hall, where upon an almost identical building was erected on the corner of William Street and Lower Market Street to serve as a town hall. The first was demolished around 1900; the latter has survived. The current town hall was built after a design by Alfred Brumwell Thomas in 1903–05. New buildings for the Metropolitan Police (1910) and

16129-432: Was to teach both purely academic and professional vocational degrees (engineering, computer science, law, architecture, management, business, accounting, journalism, town planning, etc.). Their original focus was applied education for professional work, and their original roots concentrated on advanced engineering and applied science ( STEM subjects); though soon after being founded they also created departments concerned with

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