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Kensington Barracks

Coordinates: 51°30′08″N 0°11′11″W / 51.50230°N 0.18634°W / 51.50230; -0.18634
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Kensington Barracks
Kensington
The original Kensington Barracks at Kensington Gate by Thomas H. Shepherd, c.1840
Kensington Barracks is located in Greater London
Kensington Barracks
Kensington Barracks
Location within London
Coordinates51°30′08″N 0°11′11″W / 51.50230°N 0.18634°W / 51.50230; -0.18634
TypeBarracks
Site information
OwnerWar Office
Operator British Army
Site history
BuiltLate 18th century
Built forWar Office
In useLate 18th century-1858 (old barracks)
1858–1972 (new barracks)

Kensington Barracks was a military installation in Kensington, London.

History

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The 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

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Kensington Barracks". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 24 August 1857. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  3. ^ "Kensington Barracks". London Picture Archive. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Lancer Square: archaeology report" (PDF). Squire and Partners. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Lancer Square: Design and access statement" (PDF). Squire and Partners. Retrieved 25 September 2016.