A rare opportunity to take in little-seen views of Greenwich – and discover more about its wartime history – returns on Easter Sunday when the Old Royal Naval College begins a new series of dome tours.

The two domes have become a symbol of Greenwich, and guides will be taking visitors up the narrow, winding stairs to the top of the eastern dome each Sunday and bank holiday Monday until the end of September.

It is the third year that the tours have run, with just six people allowed on each tour – with a warning that the trip may not be suitable for everyone, as the walk up can be claustrophobic and while visitors are in safe hands at all times, the creaky steps go up to quite a height.

Parts of an old pulpit
Salvaged parts of the college’s chapel have been stored in the dome. Image: The Greenwich Wire
Very low wooden beam inside the dome
Mind your head… Image: The Greenwich Wire
A glimpse at the clock mechanism. Image: The Greenwich Wire

That said, The Greenwich Wire’s vertigo correspondent, who cannot climb the tower at St Luke’s in Charlton and needed a helping hand at Millennium Mills across the Thames a few years back, managed it without too much bother, but needed a bit of time coming back down.

The reward from the top, though, are views of Greenwich and across London that you simply won’t see from anywhere else – particularly looking across Greenwich Park. If you were baffled about why so much time and effort was put into recreating giant steps on the hill leading up to the Royal Observatory, then a trip up the dome will really show off the difference.

Wooden structure at the top of the dome
Image: The Greenwich Wire
Ladder right to the top - not accessible on this tour
Image: The Greenwich Wire

Other famous domes are meant to be seen from the inside, but this tour of little-seen part of the Old Royal Naval College reveals how the structure was built and its inner workings, and particularly its role in housing the lookouts who defended Greenwich during the Blitz.

The tour takes visitors to the small wooden chamber at the top of the dome, as well as revealing relics from the building’s past and its historic graffiti: from neat Victorian script to wartime drawings and etchings.

The Wartime Watch tours cost £48 per person: tours for Easter Sunday and April 27 are sold out, but at the time of writing there is availability for Easter Monday and dates next month. Visitors get a gift pack and admission to the Painted Hall.

Tickets are available on the Old Royal Naval College website.

Two men in the chamber at the top of the dome
Image: The Greenwich Wire

Thanks to Mike and Alan, pictured above, for the tour and their patience in showing The Greenwich Wire around.

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