Description
This is one of the earliest of London's garden squares, providing private communal gardens for residents of Kensington Square, which was laid out from 1692 in the centre of Thomas Young's development at Kensington. Originally called King's Square after James II, Kensington Square was largely surrounded by fields until 1840. Among famous residents were the painter Edward Burne-Jones, philosopher John Stuart Mill and musician Sir Charles Hubert Parry.
Practical Information
| Site location | Kensington Square |
|---|---|
| Postcode | W8 5HD |
| What3Words | ///error.waving.minds |
| Type of Site | Garden Square |
| Borough | Kensington & Chelsea |
| Open to Public | Occasionally |
| Opening Times | Has opened for London Open Gardens. Otherwise private, for keyholders only |
| Public Transport | Tube: High Street Kensington (District, Circle). Bus: 9, 10, 28, 49, 52, 328, 452 |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The village of Kensington dates from early medieval times, its parish church of St Mary Abbots (q.v.) on the main highway from the City to the west of the country and it had a reputation for being a healthy place to live from Elizabethan times; it became an important staging post from the latter C17th and the gentry increasingly sought to move there, particularly after Nottingham House was improved by Christopher Wren for the Earl of Nottingham. In 1682 Thomas Young, a builder and Sergeant Carpenter and Joiner to Charles II leased land south of the High Street and laid out a new street of 40 terraced houses south of the High Street, which was completed in 1685 and named after him. Probably inspired by the style of Dr Nicholas Barbon's West End squares, Young began to develop Kensington Square from 1685, naming it King's Square after James II. His square was the first to be built out of town and is the sixth oldest in London (after Bloomsbury, Leicester, Red Lion and Soho Squares and Lincoln's Inn Fields q.q.v.), and it lies in the centre of Young's estate and the square forms a quiet oasis to the south of Kensington High Street.
Probably the earliest mention of the square occurs on 27 March 1687 when Young is recorded buying a 'plott of land neere Kyng's Sq. in ye parish of Kensingtoun'. When Nottingham House was purchased by William III in 1689 and it became Kensington Palace (q.v), the area and in particular Kensington Square became one of the most fashionable and sought-after places to live. The first buildings date from 1692 when the east side was completed, with the whole square completed by 1730s. According to the Report of the Royal Commission on London Squares, Kensington Square was laid out in 1698. After 1760 when George III left Kensington Palace, Kensington Square was similarly abandoned by the aristocracy and was largely unoccupied until 1803. The area remained largely surrounded by fields until c.1840 when development accelerated; most of the buildings today round the square were erected, rebuilt or refronted by c.1850. Rebuilding and the addition of stucco have broken up the original homogeneity of the square's architecture but it represents Young's attempt to build a smart residential square on the edge of what was then a village outside London. The earliest houses to survive are Nos.11 and 12 in the south-east corner, which were outside the limits of Young's Square and were probably built between 1693-1702.
In the early C19th the parish had been given powers to pave and light the square and surrounding streets and the Kensington Improvement Act of 1861 brought more advantages. The C20th saw major changes to the area with the development of the High Street and its department stores such as Barkers, with whom the residents of Kensington Square successfully battled for the survival of their central garden. In 1928 the Report of the Royal Commission on London Squares stated that 'for the past dozen years the square has been fighting for its life against growing power of Messrs. Barkers. Being single freeholds, presumably if Messrs. Barkers acquired all the freeholds the square garden would belong to them to use for any purpose they pleased. To prevent this happening the remaining resident householders entered into a mutual covenant in 1923 binding themselves not to assign their houses to any person or firm for the purpose of carrying on thereon any commercial business or using the same for any other purposes than as a private dwelling-house'. In 1928 the garden was described as 'an attractive open space, almost square in shape, surrounded by a hedge. Contains well-kept lawns and flower beds and some fine trees'. It was maintained by the householders out of proceeds of a rate levied on the occupiers of the houses by the Borough Council for this purpose.
Kensington Square has many famous residents, who include Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) who lived at No. 41; John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) lived at No. 18, musician Sir Charles Hubert Parry (1848-1918) lived at No. 17, and the pioneer of public health Sir John Simon (1816-1904) lived at No. 40. Kensington Square is protected under 1803 and 1851 Garden Square Acts.
Probably the earliest mention of the square occurs on 27 March 1687 when Young is recorded buying a 'plott of land neere Kyng's Sq. in ye parish of Kensingtoun'. When Nottingham House was purchased by William III in 1689 and it became Kensington Palace (q.v), the area and in particular Kensington Square became one of the most fashionable and sought-after places to live. The first buildings date from 1692 when the east side was completed, with the whole square completed by 1730s. According to the Report of the Royal Commission on London Squares, Kensington Square was laid out in 1698. After 1760 when George III left Kensington Palace, Kensington Square was similarly abandoned by the aristocracy and was largely unoccupied until 1803. The area remained largely surrounded by fields until c.1840 when development accelerated; most of the buildings today round the square were erected, rebuilt or refronted by c.1850. Rebuilding and the addition of stucco have broken up the original homogeneity of the square's architecture but it represents Young's attempt to build a smart residential square on the edge of what was then a village outside London. The earliest houses to survive are Nos.11 and 12 in the south-east corner, which were outside the limits of Young's Square and were probably built between 1693-1702.
In the early C19th the parish had been given powers to pave and light the square and surrounding streets and the Kensington Improvement Act of 1861 brought more advantages. The C20th saw major changes to the area with the development of the High Street and its department stores such as Barkers, with whom the residents of Kensington Square successfully battled for the survival of their central garden. In 1928 the Report of the Royal Commission on London Squares stated that 'for the past dozen years the square has been fighting for its life against growing power of Messrs. Barkers. Being single freeholds, presumably if Messrs. Barkers acquired all the freeholds the square garden would belong to them to use for any purpose they pleased. To prevent this happening the remaining resident householders entered into a mutual covenant in 1923 binding themselves not to assign their houses to any person or firm for the purpose of carrying on thereon any commercial business or using the same for any other purposes than as a private dwelling-house'. In 1928 the garden was described as 'an attractive open space, almost square in shape, surrounded by a hedge. Contains well-kept lawns and flower beds and some fine trees'. It was maintained by the householders out of proceeds of a rate levied on the occupiers of the houses by the Borough Council for this purpose.
Kensington Square has many famous residents, who include Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898) who lived at No. 41; John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) lived at No. 18, musician Sir Charles Hubert Parry (1848-1918) lived at No. 17, and the pioneer of public health Sir John Simon (1816-1904) lived at No. 40. Kensington Square is protected under 1803 and 1851 Garden Square Acts.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ257794 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.3642 |
| Site Ownership | private (formerly freeholders of the houses in the square) |
| Dates | 1698 |
| Designers | Thomas Young |
| Listed Structures | LBII: 1-45 Kensington Square |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | Yes |
| Local Authority | Kensington & Chelsea |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Kensington Square |
| Tree Preservation Order | Yes (area TPO on trees in square) |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Article 4 Direction, 14-19 Kensington Square |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
The Roof Gardens, among the earliest in England, were built for the new Derry and Toms Department Store, which opened in 1933. The Gardens were conceived by Vice-President of Barkers Trevor Bowen, who employed landscape architect Ralph Handcock to realise his vision and comprised 3 gardens from the outset: Spanish Garden, English Woodland Garden and Tudor Courtyard. Opened in May 1938 by the Earl of Athlone, the gardens became a popular attraction. Owned by Biba in the 1970s, and by Richard Branson since 1981, the Gardens becoming part of Virgin Limited Edition and hosted a members' club, a private function venue and, since 2001, the Babylon Restaurant on the 7th floor, which overlooks the gardens. They were extensively replanted in 2008/9 and remained home to exotic wildfowl including pink flamingos. The Spanish Garden was planted in the style of the 1950s, while the Tudor Courtyard was based on the Biba ethos and planting from the 1970s. The English Woodland was managed as a C21st environmental and wildlife garden. In 2018 the Roof Gardens closed when Virgin gave up their lease.
The Roof Gardens, among the earliest in England, were built for the new Derry and Toms Department Store, which opened in 1933. The Gardens were conceived by Vice-President of Barkers Trevor Bowen, who employed landscape architect Ralph Handcock to realise his vision and comprised 3 gardens from the outset: Spanish Garden, English Woodland Garden and Tudor Courtyard. Opened in May 1938 by the Earl of Athlone, the gardens became a popular attraction. Owned by Biba in the 1970s, and by Richard Branson since 1981, the Gardens becoming part of Virgin Limited Edition and hosted a members' club, a private function venue and, since 2001, the Babylon Restaurant on the 7th floor, which overlooks the gardens. They were extensively replanted in 2008/9 and remained home to exotic wildfowl including pink flamingos. The Spanish Garden was planted in the style of the 1950s, while the Tudor Courtyard was based on the Biba ethos and planting from the 1970s. The English Woodland was managed as a C21st environmental and wildlife garden. In 2018 the Roof Gardens closed when Virgin gave up their lease.
Grounds of the Maria Assumpta Centre, built on the site of two former bishops' palaces, where the earliest plan of a garden dates from 1766. In 1859 the Sisters of the Assumption were invited by Cardinal Wiseman to open a house of Prayer at Kensington Square. They established a girls boarding school there in 1865, adding the Elementary School in 1870 and the Chapel in 1870/1. Other buildings were added over the years with different functions including a domestic training centre for young women, the first Montessori school, a primary school and a teacher training college. In 1978 the Maria Assumpta Centre was formed, providing educational and pastoral facilities. The garden has a variety of trees including mulberry, plane and fruit trees, and a Lourdes-style grotto.
The public gardens are on the former churchyard of St Mary Abbots, Kensington Parish Church. There has been a church here since Norman times. St Mary's Church was rebuilt in the early C18th and its churchyard extended in 1763, but the current church dates from 1868. The former churchyard opened as a public garden in 1953, when the brick pergolas were constructed; a number of tombstones remain. The garden has roses, floral displays, grass and mature trees.
