Kensington Barracks was a military installation in Kensington, London.
| Kensington Barracks | |
|---|---|
| Kensington | |
 The original Kensington Barracks at Kensington Gate by Thomas H. Shepherd, c.1840 | |
  Kensington Barracks Location within London | |
| Coordinates | 51°30′08″N 0°11′11″W / 51.50230°N 0.18634°W |
| Type | Barracks |
| Site information | |
| Owner | War Office |
| Operator |  British Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | Late 18th century |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | Late 18th century-1858 (old barracks) 1858–1972 (new barracks) |
History
editThe original barracks were built in the late 18th century at Kensington Gate to accommodate cavalry regiments. King William IV is known to have ridden past the barracks on a charger as he went to inspect the London Volunteers at Hyde Park on 26 October 1803.[1] They became unsightly and there was pressure in Parliament to remove the barracks in August 1857.[2] The old barracks were demolished the following year and new barracks were built in Kensington Church Street.[3] The new site had cavalry barracks on the west side of the site and infantry barracks on the east side.[4] The new barracks were demolished in 1972 and the site was redeveloped in the late 1980s as Lancer Square.[5]
References
edit- ^ Watkins, John (1831). The Life and Times of "England's Patriot King," William the Fourth. Fisher, Son and Jackson. p. 359.
Kensington Barracks william IV.
- ^ "Kensington Barracks". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 24 August 1857. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
- ^ "Kensington Barracks". London Picture Archive. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
- ^ "Lancer Square: archaeology report" (PDF). Squire and Partners. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
- ^ "Lancer Square: Design and access statement" (PDF). Squire and Partners. Retrieved 25 September 2016.