Woolwich & Eltham

The influence that the Thames has had on the development of Woolwich and its communities is very powerful. Inextricably linked with the might of the British army; the first Dockyard was founded as early as 1512, the Royal Arsenal in 1691, the Royal Military Academy in 1741 and the Royal Horse Artillery in 1793. The town still retains an army base at the Royal Artillery Barracks, and the Royal Artillery Museum is worth a visit to put all of this into good context. At its peak, over 80,000 workers were employed here during the First World War.

The nearby Greenwich Heritage Centre also houses exhibits relating to the Royal Arsenal and the communities who lived and worked here.

Just south of Woolwich lies Eltham Palace, a fascinating combination of a luxurious Art Deco home and a medieval royal palace.  From 1305 to 1526 Eltham Palace was a popular country residence for the royals, it was King Henry VIII's boyhood home.  In 1936, textile magnates Stephen and Virginia Courtauld restored the Great Hall and built their glamorous Art Deco home, which is a stunning masterpiece of twentieth-century design.