Royal Observatory, The Transit House is a Grade I listed building in the Greenwich local planning authority area, England. First listed on 8 June 1973. A Not specified Observatory.

Royal Observatory, The Transit House

WRENN ID
carved-string-nightshade
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
Greenwich
Constituency
Greenwich and Woolwich MP: Matthew Pennycook (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
8 June 1973
Type
Observatory
Period
Not specified
Address
Royal Observatory, The Transit House, Greenwich Park Se10
OS grid reference
TQ 388 773
Coordinates
51.4778, -0.0014
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Transit House at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park is a two-storey brick building dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, with some alterations from the 19th century and modern times. It houses the transit telescopes used by three Astronomers Royal, along with a collection of related materials. Notably, the Prime Meridian runs through the eastern part of the building. The series of rooms on the south side are fitted and furnished to reflect their use by the first Astronomer Royal in the late 17th century.

Local climate

Royal Observatory, The Transit House sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 96% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 99% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 34 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 52% of listed buildings. Of these, 15 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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