From Kirkus Reviews
In a lavishly illustrated treatment, Aslet, the editor of Country Life, magnificently brings to life the rich history of Greenwich, England. Americans know the city as the site of the Royal Observatory, which sets time for the world. Aslet reveals it as much more. First the site of a mysterious Roman shrine or temple on the Thames, the settlement that became Greenwich was thereafter occupied by Anglo-Saxons for whom it may have functioned as a port or market. In the 10th and 11th centuries, the town was sacked by Vikings, who killed the local archbishop. Greenwich later developed into the site of a great estate and manor house, and a maritime port of considerable prominence, linked to the sea by the Thames. Starting with Henry VII, who built the palace of Placentia there in 150004, Greenwich became a home away from London for Britain's kings and queens, a refuge from the intrigues at court and the plague, which frequently infested the capital, a place of magnificent buildings and opulent living, and most importantly, a center of maritime activity. Though Aslet's story is largely one of buildings, he weaves into the narrative the story of the people who have lived in them through the centuries: from Chaucer to Samuel Pepys, as well as celebrated mathematician Sir Jonas Moore and Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed. In the late 17th century, the Royal Observatory was built at Greenwich in order to escape the smoky skies around London, and the magnificent Seamen's Hospital, designed by Christopher Wren, was erected. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the building of more estates and parks and the establishment of Greenwich's role as the site of the timeball to which the world sets its watch. The 20th has seen the creation of the Millennium Dome, built to celebrate the year 2000, and the declaration by UNESCO of Greenwich as a World Heritage Site. A congenial, absorbing tour through time of an immensely interesting old town. --
Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
Though contemporary Britons have chosen Greenwich--the home of the Royal Observatory, which gives the world its time--as the site of the Millennium Dome, their forbears have inhabited the place for more than a thousand years: the story of Greenwich runs from the Roman Empire to the Atomic Age. This beautifully illustrated book is jam-packed with history--a trove of facts which Aslet has unobtrusively organized so that the reader can enjoy its fascination and see its pertinence to the present. (
New Yorker )
A superb and beautifully illustrated account. (Nigel Nicholson
The Guardian )
Tens of thousands of people will gather in Greenwich on Dec. 31, 1999, to observe the momentous occasion [of the new millennium] at the Prime Meridian, zero degrees longitude...And anyone headed for Greenwich would be well-advised to peruse
The Story of Greenwich before leaving home...There is no denying that Greenwich has some of the finest architecture in England. But there is more to Greenwich--in the words of Aslet, much more...His tales of life in the taverns and inns mesh wonderfully with the stories of the nobility and royalty who saw Greenwich as a marvelous escape from crowded, demanding London upriver and built elaborate homes as retreats from the city...Aslet spins out all of this history with grace and style. The book is lavishly illustrated with portraits, illustrations and contemporary photographs, including an aerial shot of the Millennium Dome. (Jack Severson
Philadelphia Inquirer )
A briskly written and lavishly illustrated history of the area. (Graham Boynton
Conde Nast Traveler )
In a lavishly illustrated treatment, Aslet magnificently brings to life the rich history of Greenwich, England. Americans know the city as the site of the Royal Observatory, which sets time for the world. Aslet reveals it as much more...Though Aslet's story is largely of buildings, he weaves into the narrative the story of the people who have lived in them through the centuries: from Chaucer to Samuel Pepys, as well as celebrated mathematician Sir Jonas Moore and Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed...A congenial, absorbing tour through time of an immensely interesting old town. (
Kirkus Reviews )
Aside from its duties as the world's timekeeper, Greenwich is a city imbued with history and culture, all of which are captured in Clive Aslet's
The Story of Greenwich. Aslet discusses the city's mysterious temple from Roman times as well as today's Millennium Dome--and everything in between. (
Publisher's Weekly )
