Royal Observatory Flamsteed House

1. 4412 GREENWICH PARK SE10

Royal Observatory Flamsteed House TQ 3877 26/G54

I

1. 1675-6 with later additions, attributed to Sir Christopher Wren. Main North front of 2 storeys. 3 window centre with square 3-storey angle towers. Projecting eaves cornices and domed caps with high vanes to towers. Red brick with white stone quoins, both to towers and to main building. Very tall 1st floor with projecting cornice and balustrade over between towers. Very long plain central window in chamfered stone architrave. Wrought iron balcony. Side windows in moulded, shouldered architraves. Stone string at 1st floor level. 7-window ground floor. Parapet with stone coping has scrolled ramped inner part sweeping up almost to cornice of main block. Moulded architraves to ground floor windows. Door at left opening to walled terrace blocked at either end by 2-storey, 1-window C18 pavilions in similar style with domes. Rear elevation a large canted bay with coved and moulded cornice and balustraded parapet. 1st floor only visible as 1-storey C19 brick extension masks ground floor. Entrance on East, in angle at right, has porch protection with roof sloping up to front parapet. Side and rear windows very long casements in shouldered, moulded stone architraves. Beneath East window a plaque in richly carved baroque stone frame with serpentine open pediment, bears Latin inscription stating that Charles II founded the observatory in 1676. Inside a staircase with barley-sugar twist columns leads to the octagon room containing historic portraits, telescopes and clocks. Coved, octagonal ceiling centre wth decorative border. Moulded and coved cornice with garlands in high relief and royal ciphers. A later staircase leads down to the rear extension now laid out as a museum of historic astronomical instruments.

Listing NGR: TQ3888877321