Kensington

Kensington is in the district of West London and resides within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Kensington Gardens extends over 260 acres, and was originally part of Henry VIII's vast deer chase that was Hyde Park. However, in1689 William and Mary, the new King and Queen bought Nottingham House which was situated on the edge of the park. Architect Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to re-designed the house after which it was renamed Kensington Palace. Its original 12 acre garden was constantly enlarged and re-designed over the years by three Royal women, Mary II, Queen Anne and later Queen Caroline. In fact it was Queen Caroline who commissioned the Serpentine and Long Water, a large lake situated at the eastern end of the gardens. Today, with its formal pathways of majestic trees and ornamental flowerbeds it provides the perfect backdrop for Kensington Palace.

The Italian Gardens were an addition of Queen Victoria who was born at the Palace. She was also to commission the Albert Memorial in memory of her late husband Prince Albert and which is now situated in the south-east corner of the gardens.

The elegant avenues and architecture of Kensington Gardens has made it the perfect location for filming. The most apt film to be shot must be Finding Neverland, the story of author J.M. Barrie, who found inspiration to write Peter Pan whilst taking afternoon strolls in the Gardens more than 100 years ago.

Kensington Gardens is also home to the Elfin Oak, a 900 year old tree stump, which has had elves, pixies and gnomes carved into its bark. It was moved from Richmond Park in 1928 and took illustrator Ivor Innes two years to complete his 'little people' figures. Pink Floyd's 1969 album Ummagumma features a picture of the group's guitarist David Gilmour in front of the Oak. And in 1966 the Oak's life-long fan Spike Milligan led a successful campaign to have it restored. It was declared a Grade II listed structure in 1997 by Heritage Minister Tony Banks.

The Kensington Roof Gardens is a landmark covering 1.5 acres atop the former Derry and Toms building in Kensington High Street. Situated 30 metres above street level the gardens provide panoramic views over London's spectacular skyline. Ralph Hancock, a landscape architect, designed and laid out the gardens in the late 30's. Split into three themes the gardens consist of a formal Spanish garden with its Court of Fountains, the Tudor Garden and Walkway constructed in traditional stone and the English Woodland Garden complete with pond and ducks. The gardens are also home to other exotic birds such as flamingos and pin-tail ducks. Now owned by Sir Richard Branson, The Roof Gardens is run as a restaurant and member’s only nightclub.

Kensington is an affluent and densely populated area, with its central point of attraction being Kensington High Street, its main centre of commercial activity. With its extensive range of upmarket shops it was voted London's second best High Street in February 2005.

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