65-738: Greenhithe may refer to: Greenhithe, Kent , a village in Dartford on the River Thames, England Greenhithe railway station Greenhithe, New Zealand , a suburb on North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand Greenhithe FC , association football club in Auckland Greenhithe Bridge, an alternative name for the Upper Harbour Bridge Topics referred to by
130-628: A base forever associated with the Worcester – the village of Greenhithe, where successive ships remained until the 1970s. Also, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror departed from Greenhithe in May 1845, on the Franklin expedition . The clipper Cutty Sark was given to the college in 1938, and was used as a 'boating station' moored off the Greenhithe estate. However, during the war years, the college
195-485: A dominant feature, Gravesend's highest point is actually further inland at Marling Cross, adjacent to the A2 . From its origins as a landing place and shipping port , Gravesend gradually extended southwards and eastwards. Better-off people from London visited the town during the summer months; at first by boat, and then by railway. More extensive building began after World War I ; this increased after World War II, when many of
260-583: A fighter station, RAF Gravesend , and so Gravesend was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe . In 1956 the site was taken over by Gravesend Borough Council; a large housing estate, known as Riverview Park, was built on its site. Gravesend is part of and is the principal town of the Borough of Gravesham. The borough was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , by the merger of
325-593: A group of London shipowners to found the Thames Nautical Training College in 1862. The Admiralty was approached for a ship and allocated the "two-decker" HMS Worcester . At the time the Royal Navy was starting to replace its fleet of 'wooden walls' with iron-clad vessels and there was a surplus of such wooden vessels, which included the 1473-ton, 50-gun Worcester . She had various berths before finally moving in 1871 to what became
390-531: A lack of centralised command and control, and lack of a detailed "picture". De Neumann resigned his command after returning Vigilant from the Spithead Review and joined the PLA, immediately suggesting, in a report to them submitted in 1953, that a feasibility study of such a system be carried out. He then oversaw its development and ultimate installation at Gravesend. Until the building of Tilbury Docks , on
455-425: A new shore based Merchant Navy College and the last Worcester was broken up a few years later. The village of Greenhithe has many Worcester memories such as the sign at the waterside pub, and the streets named after Worcester personalities. The new college allowed for expanded facilities and the new main building incorporated a replica of a modern ship's bridge overlooking the River Thames. The Ingress Estate
520-887: A pontoon is now in place at the pier head onto the Thames, which provides for small and medium-sized craft to land at Gravesend. On 17 September 2012, the Gravesend–Tilbury Ferry , relocated to the Town Pier, from its previous terminal in nearby West Street. Built in 1844, the initial construction was funded by the Gravesend Freehold Investment Company, at a cost of £9,200. It was where Princess Alexandra of Denmark arrived on her way to marry Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in March 1865, and River pilots have been based here since
585-556: A population of 58,102. Its geographical situation has given Gravesend strategic importance throughout the maritime and communications history of South East England . A Thames Gateway commuter town , it retains strong links with the River Thames , not least through the Port of London Authority Pilot Station and has witnessed rejuvenation since the advent of High Speed 1 rail services via Gravesend railway station . The station
650-606: A very short distance of the shore. Hence not only the City of London, but the adjacent counties, and even those of Suffolk and Norfolk are supplied with this commodity". Greenhithe railway station opened on the South Eastern Railway’s North Kent Line, on 30 July 1849. In the middle of the 19th century, the need was recognised for pre-sea training for potential officers in the Royal and Merchant Navies. This led
715-500: A ‘green landing place’. It appears in a History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent by Edward Hasted , compiled early as such major works date, in this case to 1778: Here there are several wharves for the landing and shipping of corn, wood, and other commodities, but the greatest traffic arises from the chalk and lime, from the chalk pits, the range of which continues with small intermission from Stone to Gravesend , within
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#1732772688822780-635: Is a town in northwest Kent , England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex . Located in the diocese of Rochester , it is the administrative centre of the borough of Gravesham . Gravesend marks the eastern limit of the Greater London Built-up Area , as defined by the UK Office for National Statistics . In 2021 it had
845-428: Is also a Grade II listed structure. Situated at the junction of Milton Road and Harmer Street, its foundation stone was laid on 6 September 1887. The memorial stone records that the clock tower was erected by public subscription (£700 was raised toward its construction) and dedicated to Queen Victoria , to commemorate the 50th year of her reign. Built of Portland and Dumfries stone and backed by London stock brick,
910-509: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Greenhithe, Kent Greenhithe is a village in the Borough of Dartford in Kent , England, and the civil parish of Swanscombe and Greenhithe . It is located 4 miles (6.5 kilometres) east of Dartford and 5 miles (8 kilometres) west of Gravesend . In the past, Greenhithe's waterfront on
975-575: Is located at a point where the higher land – the lowest point of the dip slope of the North Downs – reaches the Thames. To the east are the low-lying Shorne Marshes; to the west, beyond Northfleet and the Swanscombe Marshes. The settlement was thus established as it was a good landing place : it was also sheltered by the prominent height of what is now called Windmill Hill (see Landmarks below); although Windmill Hill still remains
1040-435: Is therefore less cloudy, drier, and less prone to Atlantic depressions with their associated wind and rain than western parts, as well as being hotter in summer and colder in winter. Thus Gravesend continues to record higher temperatures in summer , sometimes being the hottest place in the country, e.g. on the warmest day of 2011, when temperatures reached 33.1 °C. Additionally, the town holds at least two records for
1105-400: Is unknown. Thomas Rolfe survived, but was placed under the supervision of Sir Lewis Stukley at Plymouth , before being sent to his uncle, Henry Rolfe whilst John Rolfe and his late wife's assistant Tomocomo reached America under the captaincy of Sir Samuel Argall 's ship. Pocahontas (real name: Matoaka) is an important figure in both American and British history and was the inspiration for
1170-670: The M25 motorway , the new High Speed 1 Ebbsfleet International station and the Bluewater complex. The whole area is being redeveloped as part of the Thames Gateway regeneration. Its proponent councils and government sponsors thus aim to attract more affluence and income generation, particularly through the interaction with the enormous shopping complex. This is reflected in increased property valuations, and slightly higher spending than in 20th century overspill estates which tended to line
1235-607: The Municipal Borough of Gravesend and Northfleet Urban District along with several parishes from Strood Rural District. Gravesend was incorporated as a Municipal Borough in 1835 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and Northfleet was constituted an Urban District in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894 : Gravesend absorbed Milton (1914), Denton, Chalk and part of Northfleet, including Claphall, Singlewell and King's Farm (1935). Gravesend
1300-577: The Thames and was a popular spot for Victorian visitors to the town because of the camera obscura installed at the Old Mill and for its tea gardens and other amusements. The hill was the site of a beacon in 1377, which was instituted by King Richard II , and still in use 200 years later at the time of the Spanish Armada , although the hill was then known as "Rouge Hill". A modern beacon
1365-422: The country . Its earliest charter dates from 1268, with town status being granted to the two parishes of Gravesend and Milton by King Henry III in its Charter of Incorporation of that year. The first Mayor of Gravesend was elected in 1268 but the first town hall was not built until 1573. The current Gravesend Town Hall was completed in 1764: although it ceased to operate as a seat of government in 1968 when
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#17327726888221430-523: The "Long Ferry". It became the preferred form of passage, because of the perils of road travel (see below). On Gravesend's river front are the remains of a device fort built by command of King Henry VIII in 1543. In March 1617, John Rolfe and his Native American wife Rebecca ( Pocahontas ), with their two-year-old son, Thomas , boarded a ship in London bound for the Commonwealth of Virginia ;
1495-518: The 1960s, and Singlewell, which is adjacent to the A2 in the South Part of the southern built-up area of the town was originally two separate rural parishes: viz , Cobham and Northfleet . Gravesend has an oceanic climate similar to much of southern England, being accorded Köppen Climate Classification-subtype of " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate). On 10 August 2003, Gravesend recorded one of
1560-430: The 19th century other major employers have been the cement and paper industries. From 1932 to 1956, an airport was located to the east of the town. On Sunday 5 February 1939, Alex Henshaw commenced his record-breaking flight to Cape Town and back from here. He completed the flight in 39 hours 36 minutes over the next four days; his record still stands. Originally a civilian airfield , during World War II it became
1625-483: The 20th century with its ecclesiastical parish , which is Swanscombe . It owes a great deal to its situation by the Thames and expansion to the nearby Watling Street (the London-Dover Road) and it being a suitable landing place for ships. In Roman times known as Gretenrsce , and by 1363 Grenehuth , 'Greenhithe' comes from The Old English 'hythe' meaning 'landing-place', with ‘grene’ as ‘green’; therefore,
1690-469: The Kent coast – now called Watling Street . Domesday Book recorded mills , hythes , and fisheries here. Milton Chantry is Gravesend's oldest surviving building and dates from the early 14th century. It was refounded as a chapel in 1320/21 on the original site of a former leper hospital founded in 1189. It is a Grade II* listed building. Gravesend has one of the oldest surviving markets in
1755-591: The Prince of Orange and the Lord Nelson . Post coaches had been plying the route for at least two centuries: Samuel Pepys records having stopped off at Gravesend in 1650 en route to the Royal Dockyards at Chatham. A permanent military presence was established in the town when Milton Barracks opened in 1862. Although much of the town's economy continued to be connected with maritime trade, since
1820-618: The River Thames. A dinghy at an unmodernised Gravesend was the backdrop to the 1952 thriller The Long Memory starring Sir John Mills . In the film, Mills plays a character living in poverty on a derelict fishing boat stranded in the mud flats. Gravesend also has one of England's oldest regattas retained from its strong maritime links with the Thames. Although the origins of the regatta are unknown it dates back at least to Tudor times . The races are traditionally competed by Gravesend skiffs , 21-foot-long (6.4 m) oaken round-bottomed, clinker-built boats. The Thames Navigation Service
1885-523: The Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert - moored off Greenhithe - "amid the eager applause of a large crowd of young and old". Its manor house has been fully restored and the village is accessible to the M25 motorway , High Speed 1 's Ebbsfleet International station and, particularly relevant to its local economy, Bluewater shopping centre . The social history of Greenhithe is bound up in terms of its rectory revenues and manors until
1950-558: The Terrace Pier Gardens, Windmill Hill, Springhead Gardens and Rosherville Gardens . Gravesend soon became one of the first English resort towns and thrived from an early tourist trade. Gravesend "watermen" were often in a family trade; and the town is the headquarters of the Port of London Authority Control Centre (formerly known as Thames Navigation Service ), has its headquarters at Gravesend, providing maritime pilots who play an important role in navigation on
2015-573: The design of the structure is based on the design of the Elizabeth Tower in the Palace of Westminster, which houses Big Ben . The centre of the clock itself is measured at 50 feet (15 m) above ground and the face measures 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) in diameter. The tower is Grade II listed . An American sculptor, William Ordway Partridge , created a life-size statue of the 17th-century Native American princess Pocahontas , which
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2080-495: The estuary of the River Thames was used to build wharves for transshipping corn, wood and other commodities; its largest cargoes were of chalk and lime . This led in turn to the development of the cement industry at nearby Swanscombe . Greenhithe itself enjoyed a brief period of popularity during Victorian times as a tourist resort, with the building of Greenhithe Pier (now lost) in 1842. On 11 August 1863, Queen Victoria boarded
2145-431: The estuary. Its high street is less significant a destination than Bluewater, which is supplemented by a supermarket in the village. Greenhithe railway station aside, there is little in the area apart from housing. The Thames Gateway project has seen expansion of residential neighbourhoods of the village such as Ingress Park and Waterstone Park, as well as of industrial and business estates that almost completely surround
2210-526: The first woman to found a settlement in the New World. The Domesday spelling is its earliest known historical record; all other spellings – in the later (c. 1100) Domesday Monachorum and in Textus Roffensis the town is Gravesend and Gravesende , respectively. The variation Graveshend can be seen in a court record of 1422, where Edmund de Langeford was parson , and attributed to where
2275-417: The former large hamlet. In 1904, plans emerged outlining the construction of a paper mill complex on a twenty-four acre site the east of Ingress Abbey. Designed by American architect and construction engineer Joseph H. Wallace the mill commenced operation in 1908 as ‘’Ingress Abbey Paper Mills’’. It was a part of ‘’Wall Paper Manufacturers Limited’’ and was the world’s most advanced paper mill. Furthermore, it
2340-540: The graves ended after the Black Death . The municipal title Gravesham was formally adopted in 1974 as the name for the new borough . Stone Age implements have been found in the locality since the 1900s, as has evidence of an Iron Age settlement at nearby Springhead . Extensive Roman remains have been found at nearby Vagniacae ; and Gravesend lies immediately to the north of the Roman road connecting London with
2405-405: The heart of the town, was first chartered in 1268. Gravesend has the world's oldest surviving cast iron pier , built in 1834. It is a unique structure having the first known iron cylinders used in its construction. The pier was completely refurbished in 2004 and now features a bar and restaurant; with public access to the pier head when the premises are open. A recent £2 million investment in
2470-603: The highest temperatures since records began in the United Kingdom, with a reading of 38.1 °C (100.6 °F), only beaten by Brogdale , near Faversham , 26 miles (42 km) to the ESE. Gravesend, which has a Met Office site, reports its data each hour. Being inland and yet relatively close to continental Europe , Gravesend enjoys a somewhat more continental climate than the coastal areas of Kent, Essex and East Anglia and also compared to western parts of Britain. It
2535-411: The housing estates in the locality were built. Gravesend's built-up areas comprise Painters Ash , adjacent to the A2; King's Farm (most of King's Farm estate was built in the 1920s); and Christianfields . The latter housing estate has been completely rebuilt over a 6-year project from 2007 to 2013. There is also the aforementioned Riverview Park estate built on the old RAF field in the south-east, in
2600-646: The larger ships moored at Tilbury landing stages. There have been many tug companies based at Gravesend: among them the Sun Company , the Alexandra Towing Company and, today, the Smith Howard Towing Company . East Indiamen traditionally stopped here at a point known as Long Reach to lighten their loads before sailing up the Thames to moorings at Blackwall . For some years after, war steamer excursions were run on
2665-464: The late 19th century. Today, Royal Terrace Pier is in constant 24-hour use, as part of the Port of London Authority main operations centre and Gravesend RNLI Lifeboat Station , one of four lifeboat stations situated on the River Thames; thus, its public access is available only occasionally during the year. It is T-shaped, with a pontoon at its pier head. Like the Town Pier , Royal Terrace Pier
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2730-460: The main London-Dover road crossed Blackheath , notorious for its highwaymen . Stagecoaches from London to Canterbury , Dover and Faversham used Gravesend as one of their "stages" as did those coming north from Tonbridge . In 1840 there were 17 coaches picking up and setting down passengers and changing horses each way per day. There were two coaching inns on what is now Old Road East:
2795-480: The new Gravesham Civic Centre was opened, it remained in use as a magistrates' court until 2000. It now operates as a venue for weddings and civil partnership ceremonies. During the Hundred Years' War , Gravesend was raided by a Castilian fleet in 1380. In 1401, a further royal charter was granted, allowing the men of the town to operate boats between London and the town; these became known as
2860-460: The old Dutch genitive article des , and translates into plain English as of the . In Brooklyn, New York , the neighbourhood of Gravesend is said by some to have been named for 's-Gravenzande, though its founding by the English religious dissenter Lady Deborah Moody in 1645 suggests that it may be named after Gravesend, England. Lady Deborah was originally from London and is credited with being
2925-534: The opposite side of the river, between 1882 and 1886, Gravesend was the Thames's first port of entry. Thousands of emigrants, as well as large numbers of troops, embarked from here. Tilbury Docks have expanded considerably since, with the closure of all the London Docks . The entrance to the Docks is somewhat awkward, situated as it is on the sharp bend of the river, and boats often need tugboat assistance, as do
2990-548: The popular Disney animated film of the same name . At Fort Gardens is the New Tavern Fort , built during the 1780s and extensively rebuilt by Major-General Charles Gordon between 1865 and 1879; it is now the Chantry Heritage Centre , under the care of Gravesend Local History Society . The fort is a Scheduled monument . Journeys by road to Gravesend were historically quite hazardous, since
3055-456: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Greenhithe . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greenhithe&oldid=1185045096 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
3120-412: The ship had only sailed as far as Gravesend before Rebecca fell ill, and she died shortly after she was taken ashore. It is not known what caused her death. Her funeral and interment took place on 21 March 1617 at the parish church of St George, Gravesend . The site of her grave was underneath the church's chancel , though since the previous church was destroyed by fire in 1727 her exact resting place
3185-630: The site was completely redeveloped Greenhithe station connects the village with National Rail services to Luton via Woolwich Arsenal and London St Pancras , London Victoria via Bexleyheath , London Charing Cross via Sidcup , Gravesend and Rainham . Greenhithe is served by London Buses route 492 , Arriva Kent Thameside routes A, B, 306, 480, 481, 484 & 490 and Ensignbus route X80. These connect it with Bexleyheath , Bluewater , Crayford , Dartford , Ebbsfleet , Gravesend , Lakeside , Northfleet and Sidcup . Gravesend, Kent Gravesend / ˌ ɡ r eɪ v z ˈ ɛ n d /
3250-617: The statue as a gift to the British people in 1958, a gesture prompted by The Queen's visit to the USA in the previous year. In 2017, US Ambassador Matthew Barzun visited the statue to mark the 400th anniversary of the death and burial of Pocahontas in Gravesend. The Ambassador laid a floral tribute of 21 roses at its base, symbolising each year of Pocahontas' life. Windmill Hill, named after its former windmills, offers extensive views across
3315-532: The term belief is used, Christians are most numerous at more than (49%), non-religious (32.1%) and third Sikhs (8%). Gravesend today is a commercial and commuter town, providing a local shopping district, including the St Georges shopping complex, the Thamesgate shopping centre and a regular farmers' market . It also used to have a Debenhams and Wilko, but they closed down. Gravesend market hall, in
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#17327726888223380-639: The words grafs-ham – a place "at the end of the grove". Frank Carr asserts that the name derives from the Saxon Gerevesend , the end of the authority of the Portreeve (originally Portgereve , chief town administrator). In the Netherlands , a place called 's-Gravenzande is found with its name translating into "Sand (or sandy area) belonging to the Count". The ' s is a contraction of
3445-502: The year 2010, of 30.9 °C and 31.7 °C. Another record was set during England's Indian summer of 2011 with 29.9 °C., the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK for October. In 2016 the warmest day of the year occurred very late on 13 September with a very high temperature of 34.4C Since 1990 the economy of Gravesham has changed from one based on heavy industry to being service-based . The borough's estimated population in 2012
3510-425: Was 101,700: a 6,000 increase in less than a decade. It has a high population density (almost 10 people per hectare) compared to nationally; it has a relatively young population (40% of the population are below 30); and 60% of the population are of working age. Based upon figures from the 2021 census, the second largest religious group in the borough are Sikhs who at that time made up 8% of the population. However, if
3575-812: Was a seat ( manor ) in the hamlet of Greenhithe. In 1363 the manor was endowed upon the Prioress and Abbey of the Dominican Sisters in Dartford by Edward III (1307–1377) until the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII of England . In 1820, the Ingress Estate was purchased by barrister James Harman. He gave his architect, Charles Moreing, £120,000 to build the Abbey. The current Tudor-gothic-style mansion, Ingress Abbey ,
3640-436: Was also the first mill of its type to be fitted with Crittall iron window frames. Ingress Abbey Mill made numerous grades of paper from raw materials ranging from grasses of Northern Africa to old rags converted to pulp to make the final product. In 1922 the mill was taken over by Associated Newspapers Limited and was renamed Empire Paper Mills and producing up to 900 tons of newsprint a week. The mill closed in 1992 before
3705-476: Was built by the Gravesend Corporation in 1902–03 to supply local demand for electricity. It was built on the south side of the basin at the west end of the Thames and Medway canal . The buildings were demolished in 1995. The Thames has long been an important feature in Gravesend life, and may well have been the deciding factor for the first settlement there. One of the town's first distinctions
3770-583: Was built in 1904 of steel and iron especially for nautical training and had many advantages over the converted hulks previously used. As a result of the acquisition of the fine new ship, the role of the Cutty Sark diminished and, with the approval of the original donor, Mrs Dowman, she was given to the nation through the National Maritime Museum . After restoration, she was moved to a permanent dry-dock at Greenwich. The college moved to
3835-599: Was constructed in 1833. Stone from the medieval London Bridge , replaced in the 1830s, is said to have been used in the construction. A grotto within the grounds known as the cave of the seven heads features keystones of grotesque heads which possibly came from the medieval London Bridge, 6 of which are still visible. The grounds were thought to have been landscaped by Capability Brown . The Cameroon singer Irene Mayor lives in The Abbey. Greenhithe's economy no longer depends on river trade, this having been replaced by
3900-739: Was erected and lit in 1988, the 400th anniversary of the Armada. It was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that the first windmill was placed at the highest point in Gravesend, 179 ft (55 m) overlooking the high-water mark of the river. One mill burnt down in 1763 but was replaced the following year and that too demolished in 1894. The last surviving windmill is reported as having been destroyed by fire during Mafeking Night celebrations in 1900. During World War I an Imperial German Navy airship passed over Windmill Hill, dropping bombs on it; today there are three markers indicating where these bombs struck. Gravesend power station (TQ 6575 7413)
3965-484: Was evacuated to nearby Foots Cray Place . The Worcester was used as a training base by the Royal Navy but by 1945 the second Worcester was in a very poor condition, had lost most of her masts and was only kept afloat by a large salvage pump. Happily, after the war, a replacement ship was found in the form of the Exmouth , which was renamed and became the third and last Worcester . She was an unusual vessel, since she
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#17327726888224030-660: Was first thought up between 1950 and 1952 by Cdr Peter de Neumann , while he was captain of HMRC cutter Vigilant based at Gravesend Reach . This idea followed on from considering such incidents as the accidental ramming of HMS Truculent by the Divina in 1950, the collision with the Nore Forts by Baalbek , and the disastrous flooding of Canvey , Foulness and the East Coast in 1953. In these and other situations, rescue and intelligence gathering were severely hampered by
4095-401: Was in being given the sole right to transport passengers to and from London by water in the late 14th century. The "Tilt Boat" was a familiar sight as it sailed along the Thames, the passengers protected from the weather by a canvas tilt (awning). The first steamboat plied its trade between Gravesend and London in the early 19th century, bringing with it a steadily increasing number of visitors to
4160-518: Was recently refurbished and now has a new bridge. Recorded as Gravesham in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it belonged to Odo, Earl of Kent and Bishop of Bayeux , the half-brother of William the Conqueror , its name probably derives from graaf-ham : the home of the reeve or bailiff of the lord of the manor . Another theory suggests that the name Gravesham may be a corruption of
4225-427: Was unveiled at Jamestown, Virginia in 1922. Queen Elizabeth II viewed this statue in 1957 and again on 4 May 2007, while visiting Jamestown on the 400th anniversary of foundation, it being the first successful English colonial settlement in America. On 5 October 1958, an exact replica of Partridge's statue was dedicated as a memorial to Pocahontas at St George's Parish Church . The Governor of Virginia presented
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