Kensington High Street

History

In 1682, Francis Barry purchased land in Kensington and began to develop houses.

From the 1690s to 1893, Kensington High Street was developed around a residential terrace, with large houses occupied by a number of distinguished residents. The Terrace was located roughly between present-day Wrights Lane and Adam and Eve Mews.

Residents have included:

• Sir Graham Berry, Premier of Victoria, Australia
• Sir Henry Cole, museum founder
• Reverend George Davys, tutor to Queen Victoria
• Kenelm Digby, writer
• Lady Christiana Gayer, daughter of Robert Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury
• John Leech, cartoonist
• Sir David Wilkie, artist. Scarsdale House on the corner of Wrights Lane was built c 1690, initially as Barry's own home, and was later home to a series of tenants:
• Sir Humphrey Edwin
• Edward Lloyd
• Christopher Barnard
• John Conduitt
• Sir Charles Wager
• William Curzon
• Sir Nathaniel Curzon.

In the early 19th century, Scarsdale House was used as a school, before being restored as a home by Edward Cecil Curzon in 1846. By the end of the century, the garden had been acquired by the Midland Railway and the house was demolished to make way for Pontings department store.

Retail centre

Kensington High Street is one of West London most popular shopping streets, with upmarket shops serving a wealthy area. From the late 19th century until the mid-1970s the street had three classic department stores: Barkers of Kensington, Derry & Toms and Pontings. Barkers bought Pontings in 1906 and Derry & Toms in 1920, but continued to run all three as separate entities. In a large building project, which started in 1930 and was not complete until 1958 (the Second World War halted the project), the company made Derry & Toms and Barkers into Art Deco palaces. On top of Derry & Toms, Europe's largest roof garden area (1.5 acre) was created, consisting of three different gardens with 500 species of plants, fountains, a stream, duck, flamingos and a restaurant – said to serve the best high tea in Kensington.

In 1957, House of Fraser bought the Barkers Group and started to dismantle it. Pontings was closed in 1971, Derry & Toms in 1973, and a much condensed Barkers (from 600000 sqft over seven floors to 140000 sqft on less than four floors) was allowed to continue until January 2006, when the 135-year-old department store was closed for good.

Part of the Barker premises has now been taken over by American Whole Foods Market, which opened the UK's first organic superstore there in June 2007. The rest was added to existing office space used by the headquarters of Associated Newspapers.

Kensington High Street was also the site of Biba in the 1960s and early 1970s. When Derry & Toms closed, the iconic store took the building and accentuated its Art Deco style further. But the 1970s recession, coupled with idealistic business ideas, killed Biba in 1975. The Derry & Toms roof gardens still remain, now known as the Kensington Roof Gardens which Richard Branson's Virgin occupied as a tenant from 1981 to 2018.

Kensington Market opened on Kensington High Street in 1967. It was a three story building of contemporary fashion. It closed in 2000.

Kensington High Street's future as a shopping street has been threatened by the large Westfield London, which opened a short distance away in Shepherd's Bush in late 2008. However, these factors may be offset to some extent – or even outweighed – by recent changes to the road layout, intended to make the street a more pleasant place to shop. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea decided to experiment with the concept of shared space, which deputy leader Daniel Moylan had studied abroad. Railings and pedestrian crossings were removed, thereby enabling pedestrians to cross the street wherever they choose. Bicycle racks were placed on the central reservation. The effect over two years was a reduction in accidents, down 44% against a London average of 17%.

Kensington High Street is also home to a large part of the British music industry, with the UK offices of major labels such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music Group and EMI all situated in the area.

Furthermore, the second Kahn Design boutique in London is also located on this street.

It is also the site of the former Roman Catholic Pro-Cathedral of England, Our Lady of Victories, now a parish church; Kensington Arcade; and a building housing the Consulate of Romania and the Embassy of Paraguay.

Transport links

Kensington High Street is served by bus routes 9, 23, 27, 28, 49, 52, 70, 328, 452, C1, night routes N9, N27, N28, N31 and Greenline routes 701 and 702. It is also served by High Street Kensington Underground station, on the Circle and District lines.

References

References

1. Mayor of London. (February 2008). "London Plan (Consolidated with Alterations since 2004)". [[Greater London Authority]].
2. "Kensington High Street, south side: Wright's Lane to Earl's Court Road Pages 99-116 Survey of London: Volume 42, Kensington Square To Earl's Court. Originally published by London County Council, London, 1986.".
3. Sarah Butler. (20 August 2005). "Organic grocer replaces Barker's". [[The Times]].
4. Sarah Harris. (5 June 2007). "Whole Foods Market opens London flagship". [[Design Week]].
5. "The Roof Gardens". [[Virgin Group]].
6. Simon Jenkins. (29 February 2008). "Rip out the traffic lights and railings. Our streets are better without them". [[The Guardian]].
7. (6 October 2017). "Kahn Design opens 'boutique' showroom in Kensington". CarDealer.
8. (14 December 2013). "The London Diplomatic List".