GREENWICH, a market town of the county of Kent, in the hundred of Blackheath, within the lathe of Sutton, and five miles from London. It is situated on the south bank of the Thames, and extends along the shore of it. Though extensive, it is a single parish, but has two churches, and several places of worship for the various dissidents from the established religion. The most attractive object is the royal hospital, for aged, decayed, or wounded seamen. The manor of Greenwich was an ancient possession of the crown, and a royal residence as early as the year 1300. It was enlarged by Edward IV., improved by Henry VII. and Henry VIII.; Mary and Elizabeth, daughters of the latter, were born there; and his son Edward VI. closed his life in the same place. It was successively the occasional abode of James I. Charles I. and Charles II. Under William III. the manor and palace, but not the park, were conferred on the establishment for the maintenance of seamen; and in that reign the magnificent hospital was built, on a plan formed by Sir Christopher Wren.

The building consists of four piles detached from each other, but so connected as to form a complete whole, open towards the river, or three sides of a square. The several divisions are occupied either as the residences of the governor or other officers; and there are a hall, a chapel, and apartments for the accommodation of the pensioners. The latter are appropriated for seamen, consisting of a cabin with a single bed, and a long gallery into which each cabin opens, where free air and recreation may be enjoyed. The hall is a magnificent apartment, decorated with exquisite paintings on allegorical subjects connected with naval affairs, by Sir James Thornhill. This establishment has at present upwards of 3000 pensioners, besides between 5000 and 6000 others, called out-pensioners, who receive stipends at various rates. There is connected with it an infirmary, a school for 200 boys, and other institutions, but without [7:10:765]the walls. The pensioners are amply supplied with food, are well and uniformly clothed and warmly lodged, and are, besides, supplied with the sailor’s almost indispensable luxury, tobacco. The whole expense of maintenance is about L.26. 10s. a head, but varying with the fluctuation of the prices of bread, meat, and malt. The funds for the support of the institution are in part derived from the rents of the confiscated Derwentwater estate, but chiefly from sixpence per month deducted from the pay of all seamen, whether employed in the royal navy or in the merchant service, which is collected at the custom-houses. All seamen and marines in his majesty’s service, and all seamen wounded in the merchant service, are admissible, and are selected by the commissioners.

In the Park of Greenwich is the astronomical observatory, inhabited by the astronomer-royal, and well furnished with appropriate instruments. The office has been filled for a succession of years, from the time of Flamsteed to that of Maskelyne, by some of the most distinguished names in the scientific world. The Park of Greenwich is an object of great attraction, and the hill behind commands a prospect of a most impressive kind over London and the plains of Essex. There are well-supplied markets on Wednesday and Saturday. The population amounted in 1801 to 14,339, in 1811 to 16,947, in 1821 to 20,712, and in 1831 to 24,553.