Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames, part of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is an ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned, and is now a lively suburb of London. It is where the comic Victorian novel Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome begins and was also a major military aircraft manufacturing centre in the 20th century - notably with the Sopwith, Hawker Aviation and British Aerospace companies. It is the home of Kingston University.

Kingston today

Central Kingston is a busy predominantly retail centre, with a small number of commercial offices and civic buildings. It has great many car parks, connected by a notoriously difficult one way system. It is one of the main centres of the south west London bus network, and it is connected to Twickenham, Richmond upon Thames, Wimbledon, and London Waterloo by overland train.

Related Topics:
Car park - One way system - Bus - Twickenham - Richmond upon Thames - Wimbledon - London Waterloo - Train

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The many shops include a mall called "The Bentall Centre" that contains the Bentalls department store and large branches of the usual chain stores found in many British high streets. There is a large branch of the John Lewis department store with a Waitrose supermarket in the basement. The "Rotunda" near the railway station includes a bowling alley, finess centre, a 14-screen Odeon multiplex cinema and some fast-food restaurants. Recent developments along the riverside south of Kingston Bridge have added restaurants and a theatre. The ancient market still continues daily in the Market Place.

Related Topics:
Mall - Bentalls - Chain stores - John Lewis - Waitrose - Market

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Kingston's civic buildings include the Guildhall which houses Kingston Council, the main offices of Surrey County Council (though since the offices are no longer in Surrey, they are soon to move to Guildford or Woking, and Kingston University are currently negotiating buying the building), the magistrates court, the county court, and a fine local museum and public library.

Related Topics:
Kingston Council - Surrey County Council - Surrey - Guildford - Woking - Kingston University - Magistrates court - County court - Museum - Public library

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There are many excellent schools in Kingston including Surbiton High School (the top-ranking academic school in SW London in the Government's Value-Added Performance Tables),Kingston Grammar School, famous for rowing and Tiffin School. The former polytechnic is now known as Kingston University.

Related Topics:
Surbiton High School - Kingston Grammar School - Tiffin School - Kingston University

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One of the more unusual sights in Kingston is several disused red telephone boxes that have been tipped on their sides in a pattern resembling dominos. This sculpture by David Mach was commissioned in 1988, and is called Out of Order.

Related Topics:
David Mach - Out of Order

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Kingston is the home of two non-league Association football clubs, Kingstonian F.C. and AFC Wimbledon, both of which play at The Fans' Stadium, Kingsmeadow.

Related Topics:
Association football - Kingstonian F.C. - AFC Wimbledon - The Fans' Stadium, Kingsmeadow

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Kingston straddles two Parliamentary constituencies: all of the area north of the railway line is part of Richmond Park represented by Susan Kramer; the area south of the railway line (which includes the ancient town centre) is part of Kingston and Surbiton represented by Edward Davey. Both MPs are members of the Liberal Democrat party.

Related Topics:
Richmond Park - Susan Kramer - Kingston and Surbiton - Edward Davey - MPs - Liberal Democrat

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