Park Vista Pineapple
First brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus in 1493, from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, pineapples remained a rare delicacy for centuries and hence became a symbol of wealth and hospitality. In the 18th century, for example, a pineapple cost the equivalent of £5,000 in today’s money.
Park Row Pineapples
These pineapples adorn the railings at Trafalgar Quarters – 21 one-bedroom flats for ex-mariners or their widows. John Rose, gardener to the Earl of Essex, presented ‘the first pineapple raised in England' to King Charles II in 1661. They were grown in greenhouses – rare due to the expense of making glass.
Feathers Place
Note how centuries of wear have worn down these door-steps in Feathers Place. This street leads into Park Vista and both feature early and late-18th-century houses, as well as later ones, such as the lovely row of Georgian houses in Park Vista. 10 Feathers Place is a Grade II listed early C18th house.
Greenwich was the site of a Royal palace where Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were both born. The palace was demolished in the 17th century and became the site of Royal Naval Hospital for Sailors – now the Old Royal Naval College – built by Sir Christopher Wren and his student Nicholas Hawksmoor.
DLR: Cutty Sark Greenwich
Any comments - or a suggestion for a London secret? Please e-mail me.
Prime Meridian
While the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory attracts thousands of visitors, you do not have to climb the hill to straddle the line. The Longitude 0° line, of course, stretches from North to South Pole but this little stretch of it is clearly marked by brass studs, a rod and a plaque as it crosses the road and mounts the pavement.
Greenwich Park Orchard
This bearded keystone figure is in a wall that hides a former orchard of 1666, once part of Greenwich Park, now being restored by Royal Parks. This 'dwarf orchard' of the Queen's House has long been a wildlife area. Original features being preserved include the 18th century walls, a pond, and an historic mulberry tree.
Henry VIII Coat Of Arms
The three Lions of England quartered here with France’s Fleur-di-Lis mark the claim to the French throne that dated to Edward III in 1340. These restored arms are on what was once a water tank for the Tudor Palace of Greenwich. The carved wreath on the façade next door is also from the former palace.
