ROUTE & WHAT TO SEE

A 3 mile circular walk around Woolwich town centre, riverside and Royal Arsenal site

Begin at Woolwich Arsenal Station
This 1993 building replaces the original 1849 station

Walk to the left along Woolwich New Road
Until 1926 when the line was electrified the central grassed area had an open cutting. Spanning the north side are the Woolwich Equitable Building Society premises of the 1930s. On the left hand side is the Tramshed of 1908 which became a theatre in the 1970s. Beyond the roundabout on the left is St Peter's Church and Presbytery of the 1840s designed by A W N Pugin

Return towards the Square and go to the left along Thomas Street
On the left is the Victorian Post & Sorting Office

Go left along Wellington Street
The University of Greenwich occupies premises on the right. The Director General PH further along has embossed tiles

Opposite the pub go along Market Street
On the right is the CIVIC AREA with the new Town Hall (designed by Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas in 1903-6), former Baths (1894) - now student's union & Magistrate's Court (1912). Some late 18th century cottages remain on the left along with a health centre and the police station.

Go left along Calderwood Street
On the right is a former Wesleyan Sunday School building and just beyond the Methodist Chapel of 1816 is now a Sikh Temple

Return along Calderwood Street
Beyond Market Street on the right are the Carnegie public library (1901) and old town hall building (1842). Beyond Polytechnic Street are the original premises of the Polytechnic founded in 1890.

Cross Powis Street into Macbean Street and go left at Creton Street
Ahead is Callis Yard built in the 1890s as stabling with a hay loft

Go right along Bunton Street, left through the car park, down steps then left along Market Hill
There is another view of Callis Yard and across the street is the Crown & Cushion PH (currently closed)

Pass Ferry Place and go left along Hare Street. At the end go right along Powis Street
On the left the former RACS Stores of 1902 are now local authority offices. The RACS Art Deco block of 1938 opposite is awaiting redevelopment. At the end of the street are two former cinemas of 1937. The Gala Bingo Hall was built as the Granada and the building which is now a church was originally an Odeon, later the Coronet.

Cross and go into the park to the left of the 'Odeon' then walk through
On the right is the parish church of St Mary Magdalene. This was one of the churches funded under the 50 Churches Act of 1711 and built between 1727-39 by Deptford bricklayer Matthew Spray. A stained glass window commemorates the 590 people killed in the Princess Alice disaster and there is a memorial in the churchyard, featuring a lion, to the boxer Tom Cribb.

On exiting the park go to the right then left along Church Hill. Continue along the main road (Woolwich Church Street) and cross at the traffic lights to the gate pillars opposite
Just inside these the building that became a pub and Mancinis was built as quarters for dockyard officers, later the police in 1778-84. The Woolwich Dockyard operated 1512-1869. The Co-op later purchased the western section and housing has been built on the remainder.

Go ahead to the Clockhouse Community Centre
This was built in 1778-84 as the Admiral Superintendent's house & office

Continue to the river
The Gun Drill Battery was established in the 1840s for training purposes

Follow the riverside walk to the right
This continues over former Graving Docks (infilled for fishing) and around a dock & slipway (tidal).
Note: the area beyond the Graving Docks is being developed and may not be accessable, in which case use Woolwich Church Street

Cross the access road to the ferry and continue along the Thames path
The Free Ferry was opened in 1889 and now uses 3 diesel vessels named after London political leaders. The adjacent Foot Tunnel was built 1909-12 and designed by Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice.

Continue along the River Walk
Bell Water Gate is an old access point to the river. Prison hulks were moored in this section of the river until 1856. Further along a new riverside park has been laid out on the site of Woolwich Power Station. The coaling jetty remains.

Go into the Royal Arsenal site and walk along to the octagonal guard houses and pier
Standing between the Guard Houses, back to the river, the buildings to the left are being redeveloped for residential use and incorporate the Grand Stores. The building ahead was the Royal Laboratory Offices - now the library & archive of the Royal Artillery Museum. The buildings to the right form New Laboratory Square, housing part of the RA Museum and the Borough Heritage Centre.

Walk ahead along No 1 Avenue
On the left is the Royal Artillery Museum 'Firepower!' in what was the Paper Cartridge Factory. On the right, set back, is Tower Place - the former Officer's Mess. Further along on the right are the remnants of the Laboratory Pavilions. At the end of the avenue on the left is the Dial Arch Block and ahead is the Royal Brass Foundry which is used by the National Maritime Museum for some of its collections, especially ship's plans.

Take the path between these buildings
To the left is the Officers Quarters and Verbruggen's House. Behind the Brass Foundry is the Main Guard House

Exit through the gates and cross to the Beresford Gate.
This was built in 1829 as a single storey entrance to the Arsenal and heightened in 1891. It was separated from the main site by the construction of the Plumstead Road.

Go around the gate into Beresford Square
This is the site of the market dating back to 1619.

Detour into Powis Street to view the former Shakespeare pub with Baroque details (now Cash City).

From the square exit into Woolwich New Road which goes back to the station.

© london-footprints.co.uk 2004

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