The village of Greenhithe, located between the River Thames and Watling Street, owes much to geography for its history and development. Ready access to the River Thames and a continual flow of travellers has meant that the village has played a more prominent role than could perhaps be expected of a similar sized village located elsewhere.

The village, known as Gretenrsce in Roman Times, and later on as Grenehuth, would ultimately become a hub of the local cement industry due to its position on the Thames. The abundance of chalk and lime also meant that huge quantities of these materials were supplied for the agricultural industry, both locally and nationally.

Perhaps the most striking building in the village is Ingress Abbey, at the heart of the former Ingress Estate. In 1363, this was endowed upon the Prioress & Abbey of Dartford. Over the next 500 years this magnificent building would change hands a number of times, until it fell into the hands of the Crown in the 19th Century. Due to its location on the Thames and the perceived threat from France at the time, the Abbey was seen as the perfect location for a major dockyard which would stretch between Greenhithe and Northfleet. In order to make way for this planned development the Abbey was levelled.

However, despite the demolition of the Abbey, the Government of the day never proceeded with its plan to construct a dock. In 1831 the site was purchased by Alderman James Harmer who commissioned the architect Charles Moreing to rebuild the Abbey, at a cost of some £120,000.

It is perhaps unsurprising that Greenhithe enjoys a good deal of maritime history. Likely its most famous naval visitor was the Cutty Sark, the world’s last remaining Tea Clipper. Moored off the shore between 1938 and 1951, the majestic vessel was used for training by cadets at the Thames Nautical Training College. This college first founded in 1862 by a group of ship owners and builders in order to promote merchant navy training, had a number of locations along the Thames, until in 1871 it was moved to Greenhithe. The college would become a fundamental part of Greenhithe over the next 100 years, training large numbers of officers, both for the Royal and merchant navies.

In more recent times, Greenhithe has increasingly expanded and is at the hub of the Thames Gateway development plan. Recent housing developments such as Ingress Park have sprung up, leading to an increasing gentrification of the area. The village’s links to London with road and rail connections close, plus the proximity of the Bluewater shopping complex have made Greenhithe an attractive option for many commuters working in London.