Kensington

Kensington, an extensive suburban parish of West London, including Notting Hill and Kensal Green to the N., Brompton, Chelsea, and Earl's Court, to the S. It is often subdivided into Kensington proper, South Kensington, West Kensington, and North Kensington. The manor and village out of which it grew lay wholly W. of the palace of Kensington and the gardens surrounding it, now a public park, these latter being in the parish of St. Margaret's, Westminster. The existing High Street still retains some of its primitive character. William III. bought from Lord Chancellor Finch the residence in which he died and Queen Victoria was born, and for fifty years it was a favourite abode of royalty, whence Kensington became known as the Old Court Suburb. The Duchess of Portsmouth formerly occupied a house close to the same site. Holland House at the further extremity of the former village still preserves the memory of the Riches and Foxes, as Campden and Argyle Houses, the tenure of the manor by the Campbell and the Hicks families. The quarter is now crowded with palatial villas, and is much affected by literary and artistic celebrities.