William Willett (1856-1915), an Edwardian house-builder and daylight fanatic, wrote a pamphlet in 1907 that was to usher in what we now call Daylight Saving Time or British Summer Time. An idea originally proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784, Willett presented his case, of moving the clocks forward an hour in the spring in order to enjoy sunny, summer evenings, to the British government. Find out about Willett, his visionary ideas, buildings, life, passions and the memorials dedicated to him on this guided walk around his home in Petts Wood and Chislehurst in Kent. The Royal Observatory, Greenwich is mounting a special exhibition on 100 Years of British Summer Time this year, and this walk, devised and led by the exhibition's curator, David Rooney, will demonstrate just how important Petts Wood was to the international adoption of Daylight Saving Time.

The walk lasts approximately 3 hours and takes in uneven terrain, stepped-access footbridges and several miles of walking. You are advised to bring a packed lunch. The walk starts at Petts Wood BR station and ends in the Daylight Inn!

David Rooney, Curator of Time-Keeping, ROG

£10 Booking essential: 020 8312 8560