Kensington Gardens, London SW7

 

Kensington Gardens is to the west of Hyde Park between Bayswater Road to the north and borders both Kensington Road on the south side and Hyde Park Gate. There are some palatial residences in Kensington Palace Gardens where as Independent Surveyors we have had the pleasure of carrying out Residential Building Surveys on many occasions.

 

How to get to Kensington Gardens

Tube:

Lancaster Gate & Queensway - Central Line

Bayswater - District Line

High Street Kensington - Circle and District Lines

Bus:

9 Aldwych - Hammersmith

10 Hammersmith - Kings Cross

27 Chalk Farm -Turnham Green

28 Harrow Road (Prince of Wales) - Wandsworth

31 Notting Hill Gate - Camden Town

49 Shepherd's Bush - Wandsworth

52 Victoria - Willesden

70 South Kensington - Acton

94 Piccadilly Circus- Acton Green

148 Victoria - Shepherd's Bush

274 Angel Islington - Lancaster Gate

360 Elephant and Castle - Royal Albert Hall

390 Notting Hill Gate - Archway

Disabled Parking: Queen's Gate or along West Carriage Drive in the designated bays.

 

Please see our articles on:-

Hyde Park

St James's Park

Kensington

Petticoat Lane Market

Portobello Market

 

The A – Z of Kensington Gardens

A: ALBERT MEMORIAL

The Albert Memorial was revealed in 1872 and was assigned by Queen Victoria in memory of Prince Albert . The Memorial is a prominent feature of the park and is over 170 feet tall and is regularly visited by many individuals who also visit the Royal Albert Hall which is opposite.

As Independent Surveyors when in the area carrying out Residential and Commercial Building Surveys in the Kensington area we often stop to take in the fantastic sight of the Albert Memorial.

 

B: BANDSTAND

The Bandstand was opened in 1931 and was proposed by J Markham which holds free concerts regularly on Sundays from July to August.

 

C: CHAIRS

Deck chairs can be hired in Kensington Gardens which allows you to relax, enjoy and observe the peaceful gardens.

 

D: DIANA PLAYGROUND

Prince William's and Prince Harry's mother Princess Diana died tragically in a car crash in Paris in 1997 with the Diana playground a fitting memorial facing her ex-residence at Kensington Palace.

Diana's playground is inspired by Peter Pan and features a large wooden pirate ship which was opened in June 2000. The playground is very popular and attracts over 700,000 children each year providing seating for parents, teepes, sculptures and discovery trial's for the children. It has been developed to encourage children's creativity as well as creating an adventure whilst playing.

 

E: ELFIN OAK

The Elfin Oak sculpture was made in 1930 from over a 500 year old tree stump and recently it has been made a Grade II Listed structure. It includes carved gnomes, elves and many birds which have their eggs stolen from their nests.

We are frequently as Independent Surveyors as to conduct Residential and Commercial Building Surveys on Listed properties and properties in Conservation areas.

 

Please see our articles on:-

Listed Building and Character Properties

London Mansion Houses

 

The Elfin oak is pictured in the rock group Pink Floyd's album cover in 1969 and also has been restored by a campaign headed by comedian and author Spike Milligan (who since passed away in 2002).

 

F: FILMS

Various locations throughout Kensington Gardens have appeared in a number of films such as The Serpentine Gallery which was pictured in The Wings Of The Dove. In the 2004 film Wimbledon it depicts the lovely Italian Gardens . J M Barrie used to walk through the Kensington Gardens and this inspired him to write Peter Pan and certain places in the Gardens appear in the film Finding Neverland.

 

G: GARDENS

The Sunken Gardens were created in 1901 and are located near Kensington Palace which has been designed like Hampton Court Gardens . The Sunken Gardens have a lovely pond at the centre with a range of different flowers each season varying from Tulips to Begonias. There are tours which will provide in-depth information about the Sunken Gardens history; past visitors include Samuel Pepys.

When asked to carry out Residential Building Surveys we are always interested in the size and appearance of gardens which can be a selling point if well maintained and of a good size.

 

H: HARVEST FESTIVAL

There is a Harvest Festival day each year in Kensington Gardens which allows individuals to speak to experts and get tips on how to grow seasonal fruit and vegetables. There are also crafts and a range of animals present where young children can have an enjoyable and fun day learning new skills.

 

I: INDEPENDENT SURVEYORS

As Independent Surveyors we have carried out many different surveys in the Kensington area including Residential Building Surveys and also Commercial Surveys. If you are buying a house or business in Kensington then call us for a truly independent opinion, we are not influenced by Banks, Building Societies or Estate Agents!

Please see our articles on:-

Are surveys better than valuations?

Building Surveys or Structural Surveys?

 

J: JUST FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS

During the London Olympics Kensington Gardens will be the first ever African House where it can hold over 1000 people with no fee to view the exhibitions and watch performances. Visitors will even have the chance to meet the African Olympic athletes who will be at the African House after each Olympic event.

The London 2012 Olympics will highlight London across the globe and as Independent Surveyors carrying out Residential Building Surveys in London no doubt this will attract more people to purchase property in such a wonderful capital city.

 

K: KENSINGTON PALACE

Kensington Palace was built in the 17th century and had been inhabited by Queen Victoria and George I and George II. Kensington Palace has been amended over many years especially due to damage during the Second World War. Kensington Palace State Apartments is now opened to the public for part of the year and has an amazing exhibition of garments worn by members of the Royal family including wedding dresses and court dresses.

 

L: LEARNING

Kensington Gardens are establishing a programme aimed at children and the community which will inform them about sustainability and how to use the green spaces in the area they live in.

As Independent Surveyors we can help with sustainability issues such as solar panels and green roofs in our ever changing environment as sustainability becomes more and more important.

 

M: MANY PARKS NEAR KENSINGTON GARDENS

The nearest park to Kensington Gardens is Hyde Park which adjoins Kensington Gardens to the east. Hyde Park is near both St James's Park, which is close to Trafalgar Square , and Green Park which is near to Buckingham Palace.

 

N: NUMBER OF ALLOTMENTS

There are allotments in Kensington Gardens which provide education to children where they can learn about the environment and a vast variety of fruit and vegetables including those which can be organically grown. Visitors to Kensington Gardens are able to visit the allotments where they can learn growing techniques and they are able to see chickens which are a recent addition to the allotments.

 

O: ORANGERY

The Orangery can be hired for large events such as weddings, parties, etc. In addition the Orangery has a restaurant which provides homemade food from breakfasts to teas, a wonderful place to take a break when in Kensington carrying out Residential Building Surveys in our role as Independent Surveyors.

Please see our articles on:-

Residential Surveys

Structural Surveys

P: PETER PAN STATUE

The bronze Peter Pan statue was created by G Frampton and given to Kensington Gardens in 1912 by J M Barrie. The statue of Peter Pan includes Peter Pan playing a pipe and with a range of animals and fairies all around the statue.

 

Q: QUEEN VICTORIA STATUE

The Queen Victoria statue which celebrated 50 years of her reign was designed by her daughter Princess Louise and is made from marble which can be seen from the Broadwalk.

 

R: ROUND POND

The large Round Pond was created in approximately 1726 and was used to sail boats in the Victorian era. It can be viewed from the grounds of Kensington Palace where you can see birds such as geese and swans which inhabit the large Round Pond.

 

S: SERPENTINE GALLERY

Approximately 800,000 visitors each year visit the Serpentine Gallery to view contemporary art and exhibitions of artists such as Andy Warhol and Wolfgang. The Serpentine Gallery is a famous landmark of Kensington Gardens and is a popular venue for functions.

 

T: THE BROADWALK CAFÉ

The Broadwalk Café is situated next to Diana's playground and has picnic tables in the café itself and in the adjoining playground. It offers a range of food for both children and adults with a slant on a healthy, nutritious menu.

 

U: UNIQUE ITALIAN GARDENS

The Italian Gardens was built in 1860 and constructed by J Pennethorne which includes goat headed urns, statues, various fountains and peaceful ponds which are all located in Kensington Gardens . Various areas within the Italian Gardens have been included in films such as Wimbledon and Bridget Jones.

As Independent Surveyors the Italian Gardens is a tranquil place to take a break when in the Kensington area conducting Structural Building Surveys.

Please see our articles on:-

What does a Surveyor do on a Structural Survey

Valuation the same, snap

 

V: VISITS

School trips can be arranged to the Diana's Playground where children can have a fun filled day. Visitors can enjoy the many different features of Kensington Gardens from admiring the Peter Pan statue to a visit to the Kensington State Apartments.

 

W: WILDLIFE

In Kensington Gardens you will be able to see a range of birds such as swans in the Round Pond and the chickens in the allotments.

 

X: XCITING FUSE FESTIVAL

The FUSE Art Festival has free entry and allows young people to take part in a number of different activities such as music, dance and film. The Fuse Art Festival brings together over 30 organisations showcasing their craft and giving visitors an insight into creative talents.

 

Y: YEARLY EXHIBITIONS

Turning the World Upside Down exhibition by famous sculptor Anish Kapoor contains large sculptures which are inspired by seasons. The Road Music Day exhibition is made up of a half a year's project show casing art and music.

 

Z: ZERO FEE ENTRY - FREE

There is no cost for entry to Kensington Gardens and it is open from 6 in the morning to later in the evening but some attractions such as Diana's Playground close at an earlier time.

 

Purchasing a property in the Kensington Gardens area

If you are purchasing a property in the Kensington Gardens area, please ensure that you have a building survey carried out on it. A building survey, prepared by a Building Surveyor could literally save you thousands of pounds. The survey only needs to uncover one potential problem with the property and the cost of the building survey is more than recovered.

 

Independent Surveyors in the Kensington Gardens area

We are independent surveyors who carry out building surveys in the Kensington area of London SW7. We are independent of any lender or bank or mortgage company. When we are surveying a property we are working for you, not them. This means we are working towards your best interests. We want to ensure that your property investment is sound and that you are receiving value for money.

Please do not hesitate to call us on free phone 0800 298 5424.

 

Residential Building Surveyors in the Kensington Gardens area

We are independent building surveyors that operate throughout the UK. As building surveyors we are often asked to work on not only a residential building survey but also a boundary walls dispute survey or a specific defects survey if you have a problem with dampness or cracking in your property for example.

 

Commercial Building Surveyors in the Kensington Gardens area

We are also commercial building surveyors - still operating Kensington, London SW7., we can provide schedule of condition survey, property report, dilapidations report and a commercial building survey - our independent building surveyors have the skills and experience to save you money on your commercial building purchase.

 

Where to get a Building Survey

We have a wealth of experience in providing Building Surveys to make sure you are buying the right property and providing market Valuations to ensure that you are buying the property at the right price. If you have any particular property problems we can carry out a Specific Defects Report.

Call us today on free phone  0800 298 5424  to discuss the services we offer. We are more than happy to talk about what the Building Surveys involve, these are also sometimes known as Structural Surveys or Engineers Reports.

 

References

Whilst most of this is written from local knowledge of the area, here are some websites that we think may interest you in the Kensington Gardens area, some of which we have used for information and we would like to give them credit for this. We are only human so if there are any amendments or additions or updates we would be pleased to receive your feedback so we can keep our website up to date

London-attractions.info/albert-memorial.htm

Royalparks.org.uk/press/factsheets-on-the-royal-parks/bandstands

Royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens

Childfriendly.co.uk/family-restaurants/england/london/kensington/broadwalk-cafe-playcafe/

Royalparks.org.uk/press/press-contacts/2010-press-releases/a-new-public-gallery-for-london-in-2012-the-royal-parks-and-the-serpentine-gallery-agree-contract-for-new-venue-in-kensington-gardens

Aviewoncities.com/london/kensingtonpalace.htm

Hrp.org.uk/Hireavenue/venuesandsuppliers/KensingtonPalace/venuesHireavenuevenuesandsuppliersKensingtonPalacevenuessunkengarden

Londontown.com/LondonEvents/Africa-House-London-Olympics/4ea38/

Visitlondon.com/attractions/detail/433226-kensington-gardens

 

Independent Surveyors

If you truly do want an independent expert opinion from a surveyor with regard to valuations, mortgages, mortgage companies, surveys, building surveys, structural reports/engineers reports/specific defects report, structural surveys, home buyers reports or any other property matters please contact our freephone number 0800 298 5424 for a surveyor to give you a call back.

 

Commercial Property

If you have a commercial property, whether it is freehold or leasehold then sooner or later you may get involved with dilapidation claims. You may wish to look at our Dilapidations Website at www.DilapsHelp.com and for Disputes go to our Disputes Help site www.DisputesHelp.com.

 

We hope you found the article of use and if you have any experiences that you feel should be added to this article that would benefit others, or you feel that some of the information that we have put is wrong then please do not hesitate to contact us (we are only human).

 

The contents of the web site are for general information only and are not intended to be relied upon for specific or general decisions. Appropriate independent professional advice should be paid for before making such a decision.

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