Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Encyclopedia
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is a borough
in southwest London
, England. The main town is Kingston upon Thames
and it includes Surbiton
, Chessington
, New Malden
and Tolworth
. It is the oldest of the three Royal Boroughs in England, the others are Kensington and Chelsea
, also in London, and Windsor and Maidenhead
. (The present London Borough of Greenwich
is to become a Royal Borough in 2012)
has existed for many hundreds of years. Many Roman
relics have been found in the surrounding areas. A church has stood on the site of All Saints Church, in the centre of Kingston, for more than a thousand years, an earlier church was sacked by the Vikings in 1009AD. Kingston was the site of the coronation
s of seven Anglo-Saxon monarchs
:
The Coronation Stone
, on which they are said to have been crowned. now stands outside the local council offices, the Guildhall. A coin from the reign of each of those kings is set into the base of the stone.
The present borough was formed in 1965 by the merger and the transfer from Surrey
to Greater London
of the Municipal borough
s of Kingston-upon-Thames (which itself was a Royal Borough), Malden and Coombe
and Surbiton
.
The name of the new borough omits hyphens to distinguish it from the similarly named former municipal borough.
Kingston, now administratively part of Greater London
, contains County Hall, the seat of Surrey County Council
, and, except for the Kingston Vale area in the north-east which has a London SW15 postcode, was part of Surrey
for postal purposes until postal counties were abolished in 1996.
, both constituencies were created in 1997. The previous constituencies re-arranged to form these two had been essentially Conservative.
In 1997 the Liberal Democrats
won both seats.
Dr Jenny Tonge
took Richmond Park constituency and in 2005 Susan Kramer
became its Liberal Democrat MP with a majority of 3,731 but she was beaten in the May 2010 election by Conservative Zac Goldsmith
with a majority of 4,091.
Edward Davey
overturned the previous Conservative majority of more than 10,000 in Kingston and Surbiton, to win by 56 votes after three recounts. He retained the seat in 2001 with a majority of 15,676 over the Conservative candidate David Shaw
. In 2005 Davey's majority was 8,961 and in the May 2010 general election he again retained the seat with a slightly reduced majority, beating the Conservative candidate Helen Whately.
from 1965 to 1986, when a short-lived SDP-Liberal Alliance
minority administration took over, it lost several by-elections due to its attempt to abolish the Borough's grammar school
system. The Conservatives regained control in 1987. The 1990 election gave no party a majority but the Conservatives kept power with the casting vote
of the Mayor.
In 1994 the Liberal Democrats
took the Council for the first time.
In 1998 the Liberal Democrats lost their majority on the Council and a minority Conservative Party administration was formed. This minority administration was weakened in 1999 by the expulsion of Tim Brown for expressing concerns about the leadership of the local Kingston & Surbiton Conservative Association. In 2001 St. Mark's ward Councillors Dennis de Lord and Jan Jenner resigned in protest at hypocrisy within the Conservative group on the Council and with Tim Brown formed a new Independent Group of Councillors with Dennis de Lord as leader and Tim Brown as deputy leader, to put People Before Politics. This was the first time that four parties were represented on the council and the Mayor of Kingston Jeremy Thorn officially opened the new Independent Group's office at the Guildhall. The group did not stand for re-election following the continuing ill-health of Dennis de Lord.
At the 2002 elections, the Liberal Democrats took control of the Council with a majority of twelve seats and they retained control of the Council in 2006 with a majority of two. This was the first time any party had retained control of the Council since 1986. The only neighbourhood where the Liberal Democrats increased their majority was Surbiton where they took control of Berrylands ward, ousting Kevin Davis the leader of the Conservative Group on the Council. Kevin Davis was subsequently replaced as the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Kingston & Surbiton by Helen Whately.
In 2007 Shelia Griffin, one of the two Labour Councillors, resigned the Labour whip and became an Independent.
In the 2010 local elections the Liberal Democrats increased their majority from two to six seats, and retained control of the Council for a third term. Councillors unseated included the veteran Steve Mama (Labour) Kingston's longest serving Councillor, the Conservative election campaign co-ordinator Nick Kilby from his previously safe Surbiton Hill ward, and Paul Johnston, the former local Conservative Association chairman and trustee. .
The composition of the Council is:
Modern day Kingston benefits from one of the biggest and most visited shopping areas outside of central London
, with a varied selection of high street stores, and a large number of independent boutiques and retailers.
The most famous shop in Kingston is Bentalls
, started by Frank Bentall in 1867 in Clarence Street, where it (or at least the completely rebuilt) Bentalls Centre stands to this day.
Close to Kingston, and located between Kingston, Richmond and Roehampton, is Richmond Park
, one of the oldest Royal parks.
The borough is home to the highest number of South Koreans in Europe, in the town of New Malden.
.
Some of the borough's attractions are:
The attractions, on and off the water, remain undiminished. There are pubs and restaurants along the riverside, boat trips during the summer months and a wide variety of craft for hire. Charter Quay has further enhanced the River Thames area.
There are walks and cycle routes to Hampton Court, Teddington and Richmond along some of the most picturesque stretches of the Thames. There are also walks along the Hogsmill river , a tributary of the Thames, which is by the stone Clattern Bridge.
North of Kingston Bridge is Canbury Gardens, a leafy spacious park providing something for everyone. The wide riverside pathway ensures a pleasant walk and there are facilities for the more energetic. The gardens are thriving with wildlife and have become a popular spot for fishing, picnicking and feeding the ducks and swans.
has its head office in Chessington
, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
Independent schools
station. It has no current connections with London Overground
that serves Richmond next door to the borough or London Tramlink
that serves Wimbledon
on the neighbouring brough of Merton
. It has nine National Rail
stations and two centrally located bus stations. In 2008 sixty four bus routes served Kingston.
to run its line to Southampton near Kingston. The line consequently avoided the town with a station opened in 1838 southwest of the town; it was later resited to the present site of Surbiton station
.
In 1863 a branch was built from Twickenham to a terminus in Kingston. That line was extended to the main line in 1869 to form the Kingston Loop Line
.
Railway stations in the borough:
is almost identical to the coat of arms of the Swedish
historical province
(landskap) of Ångermanland
. Both coats of arms can be traced back to the 16th century.
in Germany
and Gwanak-gu
, an administrative subdivision of Seoul
, in South Korea
. Some road signs announce that Kingston is linked with Delft
in the Netherlands
but this official link has ended.
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
in southwest London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. The main town is Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
and it includes Surbiton
Surbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
, Chessington
Chessington
Chessington is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London, England. The Hogsmill river runs through it. Neighbouring settlements include: Tolworth, Ewell, Surbiton, Claygate, Epsom, Oxshott, Leatherhead, Esher, Kingston upon Thames and Worcester Park.-History:Its name...
, New Malden
New Malden
New Malden is a town and shopping centre in the south-western London suburbs, mostly within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and partly in the London Borough of Merton, and is situated from Charing Cross...
and Tolworth
Tolworth
Tolworth is a mostly residential area of outer South London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, located south west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include: New Malden, Kingston, Surbiton, Berrylands, Chessington, Ewell and Worcester Park....
. It is the oldest of the three Royal Boroughs in England, the others are Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....
, also in London, and Windsor and Maidenhead
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is a Royal Borough of Berkshire, in South East England. It became a unitary authority on 1 April 1998.It is home to Windsor Castle, Eton College, Legoland and Ascot Racecourse....
. (The present London Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
is to become a Royal Borough in 2012)
Districts in the borough
- BerrylandsBerrylandsBerrylands is a residential neighbourhood in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames only 24 minutes from Waterloo by train in south west London, that before 1965 formed part of the Municipal Borough of Surbiton. It is a suburban development situated south west of Charing...
- ChessingtonChessingtonChessington is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London, England. The Hogsmill river runs through it. Neighbouring settlements include: Tolworth, Ewell, Surbiton, Claygate, Epsom, Oxshott, Leatherhead, Esher, Kingston upon Thames and Worcester Park.-History:Its name...
- Coombe
- HookHook, LondonHook is a place in south west London, England. It forms part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and is located 13.5 miles south west of Charing Cross....
- Kingston upon ThamesKingston upon ThamesKingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
- Kingston ValeKingston ValeKingston Vale is a district in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in the south west of London. It is a leafy residential area nestling between Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common and Coombe Hill. The main road is the A308 which is a common through route for traffic passing to and from Kingston...
- Malden RushettMalden RushettMalden Rushett is a small settlement in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, London at the southernmost tip of the Royal Borough.-Facilities:...
- Motspur ParkMotspur ParkMotspur Park, also known locally as West Barnes is a suburb in South West London situated across the boundary between the London Borough of Merton and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It owes its identity to the railway station of the same name, which has six trains an hour to London's...
- New MaldenNew MaldenNew Malden is a town and shopping centre in the south-western London suburbs, mostly within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and partly in the London Borough of Merton, and is situated from Charing Cross...
- NorbitonNorbitonNorbiton is a place in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, London. It lies approximately east of Kingston upon Thames's town centre, and from Charing Cross. Its main landmarks include Kingston Hospital and Kingsmeadow football stadium, which is currently used for the home matches of both...
- Old MaldenOld MaldenOld Malden is a ward of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames south west of Charing Cross.It is one of the more affluent areas in the borough, with Coombe , and Kingston Vale...
- Seething WellsSeething WellsSeething Wells is a locality of Surbiton in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It is the site of a former water treatment works on the south bank of the River Thames. Part of it was redeveloped in the early 21st century. The filter beds remain the property of Thames Water, via their...
- SurbitonSurbitonSurbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
- TolworthTolworthTolworth is a mostly residential area of outer South London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, located south west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include: New Malden, Kingston, Surbiton, Berrylands, Chessington, Ewell and Worcester Park....
Adjacent local government districts
- ElmbridgeElmbridgeElmbridge is a local government district and borough in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Esher. The district has only one civil parish, which is Claygate...
- Epsom and EwellEpsom and EwellEpsom and Ewell is a local government district with borough status in Surrey, England, covering the town of Epsom and the village of Ewell. The borough was formed as an urban district in 1894, and was known as Epsom until 1934. It was made a municipal borough in 1937...
- MertonLondon Borough of MertonThe London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
- Mole ValleyMole ValleyMole Valley is a local government district in Surrey, England. Its council is based in Dorking.The district, named after the River Mole, was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the urban districts of Dorking and Leatherhead and most of the Dorking and Horley...
- Richmond upon ThamesLondon Borough of Richmond upon ThamesThe London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
- SuttonLondon Borough of SuttonThe London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
- WandsworthLondon Borough of WandsworthThe London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
History
Kingston upon Thames, on the south bank of the River ThamesRiver Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
has existed for many hundreds of years. Many Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
relics have been found in the surrounding areas. A church has stood on the site of All Saints Church, in the centre of Kingston, for more than a thousand years, an earlier church was sacked by the Vikings in 1009AD. Kingston was the site of the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
s of seven Anglo-Saxon monarchs
Anglo-Saxon monarchs
Anglo-Saxon monarchs were the rulers of the various kingdoms which arose in England following the withdrawal of the Romans in the fifth century. The most prominent kingdoms were Kent, Sussex, Wessex, Mercia and Bernicia, each recognising their own monarch...
:
- Edward the ElderEdward the ElderEdward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
, son of Alfred the GreatAlfred the GreatAlfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
), 900AD - Athelstan 925AD
- Edmund I 939AD
- Eadred 946AD
- Eadwig 956AD
- Edward the MartyrEdward the MartyrEdward the Martyr was king of the English from 975 until he was murdered in 978. Edward was the eldest son of King Edgar, but not his father's acknowledged heir...
975AD - Ethelred the UnreadyEthelred the UnreadyÆthelred the Unready, or Æthelred II , was king of England . He was son of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred was only about 10 when his half-brother Edward was murdered...
979AD
The Coronation Stone
Coronation Stone
The Coronation Stone is an ancient stone block, located next to the Guildhall in Kingston upon Thames, England. Kingston is now a suburb of London and was once the county town of Surrey....
, on which they are said to have been crowned. now stands outside the local council offices, the Guildhall. A coin from the reign of each of those kings is set into the base of the stone.
The present borough was formed in 1965 by the merger and the transfer from Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
to Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
of the Municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
s of Kingston-upon-Thames (which itself was a Royal Borough), Malden and Coombe
Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe
Malden and Coombe was a local government district in Surrey, England from 1866 to 1965.New Malden Local Government District was formed in 1866 under the Local Government Act 1858 from part of the ancient parish of Kingston upon Thames...
and Surbiton
Municipal Borough of Surbiton
Surbiton was a local government district in north east Surrey, United Kingdom from 1855 to 1965.Until 1855 Surbiton was administered as part of the parish of Kingston upon Thames. In that year a body of improvement commissioners was formed by a local act of parliament to govern the area...
.
The name of the new borough omits hyphens to distinguish it from the similarly named former municipal borough.
Kingston, now administratively part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, contains County Hall, the seat of Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Surrey in England. The council is composed of 80 elected councillors.The council is controlled by the Conservative party.The leader of the council is David Hodge....
, and, except for the Kingston Vale area in the north-east which has a London SW15 postcode, was part of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
for postal purposes until postal counties were abolished in 1996.
Parliament
The borough includes the whole of the Kingston and Surbiton Westminster Parliamentary Constituency and part of the Richmond Park ConstituencyRichmond Park (UK Parliament constituency)
Richmond Park is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History and character:...
, both constituencies were created in 1997. The previous constituencies re-arranged to form these two had been essentially Conservative.
In 1997 the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
won both seats.
Dr Jenny Tonge
Jenny Tonge
Jennifer Louise Tonge, Baroness Tonge is a politician in the United Kingdom. She was Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Richmond Park in London from 1997 to 2005.-Early life:...
took Richmond Park constituency and in 2005 Susan Kramer
Susan Kramer
Susan Veronica Kramer, Baroness Kramer is a British Liberal Democrat politician. She was Member of Parliament for Richmond Park from 2005 to 2010, having been an unsuccessful candidate in the London mayoral election in 2000....
became its Liberal Democrat MP with a majority of 3,731 but she was beaten in the May 2010 election by Conservative Zac Goldsmith
Zac Goldsmith
Frank Zacharias Robin "Zac" Goldsmith, MP is an English environmental journalist, entrepreneur and Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for Richmond Park since winning the seat at the 2010 general election.Goldsmith is the middle child of the late financier Sir...
with a majority of 4,091.
Edward Davey
Edward Davey
Edward Jonathan "Ed" Davey is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for Kingston and Surbiton since 1997, and in May 2010 was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
overturned the previous Conservative majority of more than 10,000 in Kingston and Surbiton, to win by 56 votes after three recounts. He retained the seat in 2001 with a majority of 15,676 over the Conservative candidate David Shaw
David Shaw (UK politician)
David Lawrence Shaw is a British former Member of Parliament . He was the Conservative Member for Dover from the 1987 general election until the 1997 election, when he lost the seat to Gwyn Prosser of Labour...
. In 2005 Davey's majority was 8,961 and in the May 2010 general election he again retained the seat with a slightly reduced majority, beating the Conservative candidate Helen Whately.
Local government
The Borough Council was controlled by the Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
from 1965 to 1986, when a short-lived SDP-Liberal Alliance
SDP-Liberal Alliance
The SDP–Liberal Alliance was an electoral pact formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom which was in existence from 1981 to 1988, when the bulk of the two parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, later referred to as simply the Liberal...
minority administration took over, it lost several by-elections due to its attempt to abolish the Borough's grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
system. The Conservatives regained control in 1987. The 1990 election gave no party a majority but the Conservatives kept power with the casting vote
Casting vote
A casting vote is a vote given to the presiding officer of a council or legislative body to resolve a deadlock and which can be exercised only when such a deadlock exists...
of the Mayor.
In 1994 the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
took the Council for the first time.
In 1998 the Liberal Democrats lost their majority on the Council and a minority Conservative Party administration was formed. This minority administration was weakened in 1999 by the expulsion of Tim Brown for expressing concerns about the leadership of the local Kingston & Surbiton Conservative Association. In 2001 St. Mark's ward Councillors Dennis de Lord and Jan Jenner resigned in protest at hypocrisy within the Conservative group on the Council and with Tim Brown formed a new Independent Group of Councillors with Dennis de Lord as leader and Tim Brown as deputy leader, to put People Before Politics. This was the first time that four parties were represented on the council and the Mayor of Kingston Jeremy Thorn officially opened the new Independent Group's office at the Guildhall. The group did not stand for re-election following the continuing ill-health of Dennis de Lord.
At the 2002 elections, the Liberal Democrats took control of the Council with a majority of twelve seats and they retained control of the Council in 2006 with a majority of two. This was the first time any party had retained control of the Council since 1986. The only neighbourhood where the Liberal Democrats increased their majority was Surbiton where they took control of Berrylands ward, ousting Kevin Davis the leader of the Conservative Group on the Council. Kevin Davis was subsequently replaced as the Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Kingston & Surbiton by Helen Whately.
In 2007 Shelia Griffin, one of the two Labour Councillors, resigned the Labour whip and became an Independent.
In the 2010 local elections the Liberal Democrats increased their majority from two to six seats, and retained control of the Council for a third term. Councillors unseated included the veteran Steve Mama (Labour) Kingston's longest serving Councillor, the Conservative election campaign co-ordinator Nick Kilby from his previously safe Surbiton Hill ward, and Paul Johnston, the former local Conservative Association chairman and trustee. .
The composition of the Council is:
- Liberal Democrats 27
- Conservatives 21
Modern Kingston
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
, with a varied selection of high street stores, and a large number of independent boutiques and retailers.
The most famous shop in Kingston is Bentalls
Bentalls
Bentalls is an English department store chain with branches in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, and Bracknell, Berkshire. The well regarded 'county' department store began as a drapery shop, founded by Frank Bentall in 1867...
, started by Frank Bentall in 1867 in Clarence Street, where it (or at least the completely rebuilt) Bentalls Centre stands to this day.
Close to Kingston, and located between Kingston, Richmond and Roehampton, is Richmond Park
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is a 2,360 acre park within London. It is the largest of the Royal Parks in London and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen...
, one of the oldest Royal parks.
The borough is home to the highest number of South Koreans in Europe, in the town of New Malden.
Tourism in Kingston
Kingston has many attractions in and near it, ranging from nature attractions and historical attractions to theme parksAmusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
.
Some of the borough's attractions are:
- Chessington World of AdventuresChessington World of AdventuresChessington World of Adventures Resort is a theme park and zoo in South West London, England. It lies south of Central London. Historically opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931, a theme park was developed alongside it, opening in 1987...
Resort in the south of the borough, the closest railway station is Chessington South. Chessington is one of the UK's premier theme parks attracting thousands of visitors from all around the UK to its rides, roller coasters, aquarium and zoo. - Thames Riverside - Flowing beside Kingston and SurbitonSurbitonSurbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
. The River ThamesRiver ThamesThe River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
gives visitors a peaceful getaway either feeding the swans or enjoying a cup of coffee next the river. Closest railway stations are Surbiton or Kingston plus moderate walks. - Coronation StoneCoronation StoneThe Coronation Stone is an ancient stone block, located next to the Guildhall in Kingston upon Thames, England. Kingston is now a suburb of London and was once the county town of Surrey....
- Situated outside The Guildhall in Kingston, this ancient rock was the crowning point of some of England's early kings and is what gives Kingston its name. - Richmond ParkRichmond ParkRichmond Park is a 2,360 acre park within London. It is the largest of the Royal Parks in London and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen...
- One of the world's largest urban parks, three times the size of Central ParkCentral ParkCentral Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Richmond Park's Kingston Gate is situated within the borough's boundary. Full of nature and deer, its a peaceful walk away from the city. - Kingston Town Centre - One of London's biggest shopping destinations, with hundreds of shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as a large entertainment complex consisting of Pizza ExpressPizza ExpressPizzaExpress is a restaurant group with over 400 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 40 overseas in China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and the Middle East. It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot.In Ireland, PizzaExpress trades under the name Milano....
and other restaurants, Odeon Cinema and Tenpin Bowling. Also in the town centre is a historic market which has been running for hundreds of years. - Hampton Court PalaceHampton Court PalaceHampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
and Palace Grounds - The home of King Henry VIII, the magnificent palace is situated in Hampton Court just a short drive from Kingston. - Rose TheatreRose Theatre, KingstonThe Rose Theatre, Kingston is a theatre on Kingston High Street in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The theatre seats 899 around a wide, lozenge shaped stage....
-
Kingston & Surbiton's Thames Riverside
Kingston has almost three miles of one of the most attractive stretches of the River Thames.The attractions, on and off the water, remain undiminished. There are pubs and restaurants along the riverside, boat trips during the summer months and a wide variety of craft for hire. Charter Quay has further enhanced the River Thames area.
There are walks and cycle routes to Hampton Court, Teddington and Richmond along some of the most picturesque stretches of the Thames. There are also walks along the Hogsmill river , a tributary of the Thames, which is by the stone Clattern Bridge.
North of Kingston Bridge is Canbury Gardens, a leafy spacious park providing something for everyone. The wide riverside pathway ensures a pleasant walk and there are facilities for the more energetic. The gardens are thriving with wildlife and have become a popular spot for fishing, picnicking and feeding the ducks and swans.
Economy
Sega Amusements EuropeSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
has its head office in Chessington
Chessington
Chessington is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in Greater London, England. The Hogsmill river runs through it. Neighbouring settlements include: Tolworth, Ewell, Surbiton, Claygate, Epsom, Oxshott, Leatherhead, Esher, Kingston upon Thames and Worcester Park.-History:Its name...
, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
Education
Primary responsibility for education in the borough lies with the local education authority.Primary schools
Primary schools, (N) indicates with Nursery classes. CE indicates Church of England, and RC indicates Roman Catholic.
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Secondary schools
Community
Foundation
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Voluntary Aided
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Independent schools
- Canbury SchoolCanbury SchoolCanbury School is a small, independent day school in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London. With a maximum of 65 pupils on roll, each is treated very much as an individual, hence the school's motto "An individual approach to success"...
- Kingston Grammar SchoolKingston Grammar SchoolKingston Grammar School is an independent co-educational school in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London. The school was founded by Royal Charter in 1561 but can trace its roots back to at least the 13th century. It is a registered charity under English law....
- Surbiton High SchoolSurbiton High SchoolSurbiton High School is a private school in Surbiton in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England. It was founded in 1884 by a group of Anglican clergymen who instituted the Church Schools Company...
- Marymount International School London
Transport
Kingston is one of five London Boroughs which have no London UndergroundLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
station. It has no current connections with London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
that serves Richmond next door to the borough or London Tramlink
London Tramlink
London Tramlink is an arm of Transport for London, which manages the second generation of tram services within London, UK. Current and planned tram systems are:*Tramlink operates a three-route system in the area of South London around Croydon...
that serves Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
on the neighbouring brough of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
. It has nine National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
stations and two centrally located bus stations. In 2008 sixty four bus routes served Kingston.
Railway
Coaching interests in Kingston opposed the plan of the London and Southampton RailwayLondon and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
to run its line to Southampton near Kingston. The line consequently avoided the town with a station opened in 1838 southwest of the town; it was later resited to the present site of Surbiton station
Surbiton railway station
Surbiton railway station is a National Rail station in Surbiton, south west London, in the Kingston upon Thames. The station is managed and served by South West Trains, and is in Travelcard Zone 6...
.
In 1863 a branch was built from Twickenham to a terminus in Kingston. That line was extended to the main line in 1869 to form the Kingston Loop Line
Kingston Loop Line
The Kingston Loop Line is a railway line built by the London and South Western Railway in South West London. It runs in an overall southeasterly direction from a junction west of Twickenham on the Waterloo to Reading Line to join the South West Main Line west of New Malden; both connections face...
.
Railway stations in the borough:
- Kingston
Coat of arms
The Kingston coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is almost identical to the coat of arms of the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
historical province
Provinces of Sweden
The provinces of Sweden, landskap, are historical, geographical and cultural regions. Sweden has 25 provinces and they have no administrative function, but remain historical legacies and the means of cultural identification....
(landskap) of Ångermanland
Ångermanland
' is a historical province or landskap in the north of Sweden. It borders to Medelpad, Jämtland, Lapland, Västerbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia. The name "Ångermanland" comes from the Old Norse "anger", which means "deep fjord" and refers to the deep mouth of the river Ångermanälven...
. Both coats of arms can be traced back to the 16th century.
International links
Although not officially 'twinned', The Royal Borough of Kingston has a partner city of OldenburgOldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Gwanak-gu
Gwanak-gu
Gwanak District, or Gwanak-gu is an administrative subdivision of Seoul, South Korea. It lies on southern skirt of Seoul, bordering Seoul and Anyang of Gyeonggi Province. Craggy ridgeline of Mt...
, an administrative subdivision of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Some road signs announce that Kingston is linked with Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
but this official link has ended.
External links
- Kingston upon Thames Council
- Kingston Libraries on Twitter
- Freecycle Kingston - "Community re-use and recycling in action"
- Kingston and Surbiton Conservative Association
- Kingston Green Party
- Kingston and Surbiton Constituency Labour Party
- Kingston Borough Liberal Democrats
- Kingston Conservative Party