London has long been a global city, a great port from which Britain imported goods from around the world, the capital of an empire on which the sun never set, and also the place from which the world’s time is measured.
The last of these is centred on the district of Greenwich in the south-east of the capital, a UNESCO World Heritage site that, thanks to the establishment of the Meridian line running north and south from its observatory, became the place that divided east and west and, to this day, marks the base point for measuring time.
With a chance to see the point where east and west meet, explore Britain’s maritime and naval heritage, visit the 02 Arena and enjoy several other historic sites, this is a private London tour that really will give you a great time – in every sense of the word.
By Royal Appointment
Greenwich owes its significance to King Charles II. Not only was he a significant monarch as the first king after England’s brief period as a monarchy following the civil war came to an end, but he also established the Royal Greenwich Observatory in 1675, located high on the hill of Greenwich Park, looking down over the Thames.
Up to that time, lots of countries had sought to mark longitude with a ‘prime meridian’ to help sailors navigate. King Charles was doing likewise for English sailors and as Greenwich was already an important maritime centre and the hill offered a great vantage point for an observatory, this was the perfect location.
The reason an observatory was used was due to the importance of the movements of the sun, moon and stars in maritime navigation, so by establishing measurements of these from Greenwich and setting it as the meridian, longitude could be measured.
It was not until 1884 that an international agreement was reached to confirm the Greenwich Meridian as Longitude 0, with Greenwich Mean Time as the default for clocks. By this time, the Greenwich measurement was already used by the majority of the world’s sailors.
On The Line
By then, the exact line of the Meridian was in line with a telescope called the Airy Transit Circle, named after Astronomer Royal George Biddell Airy, which was installed in 1850. This is still in place to this day.
No visit to Greenwich is complete without visiting the observatory, where the Meridian line is marked along the ground. There are also several other meridian markers in the park and beyond, including on several local buildings.
These remain even though the true Meridian (the International Reference Meridian) has been recalculated and is just over 100 metres east..
The hill is also a great place to view London, with the skyscraper cluster of Canary Wharf a prominent feature. Other features of this Royal Park, the oldest of eight in London, include a fine flower garden, the foundations of a Roman temple and an Anglo-Saxon burial mound. There is even a small herd of red deer.
Museums, Ships And A Dome
Down at the foot of the hill, the National Maritime Museum is an unmissable highlight of the area, with this stunning building housing artefacts ranging from the uniform Horatio Nelson wore in the Battle of Trafalgar to artefacts recovered from the wreck of the Titanic.
There are also many artworks on display, including a 1773 painting that was the first image of a kangaroo ever seen in Europe.
The ultimate treat for anyone interested in what sailing from London was like in past centuries can be seen down at Greenwich Quays, where the Cutty Sark, is on show. This 19th century Clipper Ship was used to transport tea and visited every major port in the world.
A more recent piece of history can be seen in North Greenwich, where the Millennium was marked by the creation of the Millennium Dome. This was the centrepiece of Britain’s commemorations to mark the arrival of the year 2000, with the theme of time. The structure stands next to the Meridian line, with a marker to highlight the spot.
This was appropriate enough, but the dome itself was derided at the time. However, rather in the manner of the Eiffel Tower, it has become a highly popular attraction, rebranded as the 02 Arena, hosting concerts and indoor sports (including events in the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics), so a well-timed visit could include seeing an event.
In addition to all these great attractions, Greenwich itself is an attractive part of London, full of cafes and shops as well as a lovely riverside area. There may be no better place for east to meet west.
