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14
in determining the types of industries located within its boundary
with their consequent effects on the social conditions of its com—
munity.
Notwithstanding that documented history of Greenwich appears
to begin only during King Alfred's reign when he was Lord of the
Manor, circa 900, there is evidence that Greenwich has been inhabi—
ted for over 2,000 years—certainly Crooms Hill is pre-Celtic whilst
Maidenstone Hill and Shooter's Hill, along with many other place
names, are clearly of Celtic origin. Recovered coins and fragments
of pottery show an almost continuous Roman settlement from
41 B.C. to 423 A.D. and Saxon burial mounds and barrows dating
from the 6th century are still to be seen in Greenwich Park.
Village life, which survived the Romans' departure and the
coming of the Jutes in the mid 5th century, was predominantly that
of men whose business was with the sea and ships with the trade
of waterman as their most important occupation. Indeed, even
up to 100 years ago, fishing smacks were sailing regularly from
Greenwich, a busy attractive little Thames-side town, to the North
Sea, Iceland and Greenland. This was hardly surprising for here
the river affords an excellent roadstead for shipping. So much so
that in the time of King Ethelred (1011 A.D.) the whole Danish
Fleet lay off Greenwich for three or four years whilst the army
was for the most part encamped on Blackheath. This army ravaged
the whole country and sacked the City of Canterbury from whence
they brought Archbishop Alfege to his martyrdom at Greenwich
on April 19th, 1012. Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 records
the existence at that time of a church on this site, a situation which
has continued to the present day.
Although efforts to obtain a Royal Charter have so far been
unsuccessful, Greenwich is unquestionably royal by association.
It seems clear that the early Norman kings preferred Winchester
but, at the time of St. Alfege's martyrdom, the English king was
resident and had a Royal Treasury at Greenwich. However, it
was not until the reign of Henry IV that Greenwich was regarded
as one of the seats of government, at which time Henry was
building himself a house in the south-east corner of Blackheath.
probably on the site of the present Morden College.
Years later the Tudors oame by river from Westminster to
the Palace of Placentia, their best loved home, built during the
15th century by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, brother of
Henry V of Agincourt fame. Originally called Bella Court, this
fine red bricked edifice was re-named Palace of Placentia by
Margaret of Anjou, the wife of Henry VI, who spent large sums
of money on beautifying it, tiling the floors and filling the