Kensington Barracks was a military installation in
Kensington,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.
History
The original barracks were built in the late 18th century at Kensington Gate to accommodate cavalry regiments.
King William IV
William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...
is known to have ridden past the barracks on a
charger
Charger or Chargers may refer to:
* Charger (table setting), decorative plates used to fancify a place setting
* Battery charger, a device used to put energy into a cell or battery
* Capacitor charger, typically a high voltage DC power supply ...
as he went to inspect the London Volunteers at
Hyde Park on 26 October 1803. They became unsightly and there was pressure in Parliament to remove the barracks in August 1857. The old barracks were demolished the following year and new barracks were built in
Kensington Church Street
Kensington Church Street is a shopping street in Kensington, London, England, designated the A4204, and traditionally known for its art and antiques shops.
Buildings at the southern end date back to the early 1700s. It is named after Kensington ...
. The new site had cavalry barracks on the west side of the site and infantry barracks on the east side. The new barracks were demolished in 1972 and the site was redeveloped in the late 1980s as Lancer Square.
References
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Barracks in London
Installations of the British Army