About

The Royal Arsenal has been at the centre of Woolwich life since 1696, when fireworks began to be manufactured there. The following year New Carriage Yard, where old gun carriages were repaired or scrapped, appeared. Ten years later the Royal Brass Foundry was built and the Arsenal was born. The Royal Arsenal is a former site of one of the biggest munitions factories in the UK, the area has been regenerated since open spaces, place to live and Woolwich Works, also known as Woolwich Creative District.

Upon entering the Royal Arsenal, you can see the statue of Nike, presented to the Royal Borough by the Mayor of Ancient Olympia in 2012. Near the river you can wander through Assembly, 16 sculpted men made of cast iron! And look out for the two ‘pepper pot’ buildings, originally guard rooms and now transformed into a flower shop 'The Rooms' and cafe 'House of Denna'.

The area is home to several pubs including the Dial Arch, The Guard House and SALT Woolwich, and some excellent cafes and the popular Royal Arsenal Farmers' Market. Taking place on the second and last Saturday of every month, the market takes over Artillery Square and offers quality, locally sourced artisan food for residents and visitors to buy on the day. Traders range from bakers, greengrocers, cheesemongers, florists, fresh fruit and many more.