Places of Interest
Places of Interest in the Kingston Area
With a name that derives from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning Royal Farm, Kingston has a rich royal heritage to explore. A few minutes’ walk from the university is the ancient Coronation Stone, on which seven saxon kings of England were crowned before the invasion of William the Conqueror in 1066. More recent royal heritage can be found a short train or bus ride away at nearby Hampton Court Palace, one of King Henry VIII’s favourite London residences. Open to the public, a ticket costs £19 (£15 for 12 concessions) and includes the palace itself, the lavish gardens and the iconic Hampton Court maze. Nearby Bushy Park, once a hunting ground for Henry, is now an ideal spot for a picnic, a little fishing (permit required) or just a stroll around watching the many wild deer that roam the park. Hampton Court can also be reached by a pleasant 40 minute walk along the Thames, or by one of the regular riverboat services.
For evening’s entertainment, Kingston has the Rose Theatre, the first theatre to be built in the UK in the 21st Century. With a design based on Shakespeare’s original Globe, the Rose offers a rich programme of plays and talks throughout the year. Kingston also boasts the largest Odeon cinema in the UK and for the hardy a number of late night bars and clubs. Kingston also offers one of the largest shopping centres in the UK outside of Central London, with plenty of stores to suit all tastes and budgets.
A short bus, train or riverboat ride away is historic Richmond upon Thames, home of the likes of Virginia Woolf, Noel Coward, David Garrick, Harold Pinter, and Freddie Mercury.
Walkers can enjoy a leisurely stroll along the historic river Thames, with paths that lead all the way from Kingston to Richmond and on to Kew, home of the historic Royal Gardens. From Kingston boat cruises are available to Hampton Court, Richmond, Kew, even all the way up to Embankment, under the House of Parliament and across from the London Eye.
Learn more about Kingston upon Thames on the city's official website.
For evening’s entertainment, Kingston has the Rose Theatre, the first theatre to be built in the UK in the 21st Century. With a design based on Shakespeare’s original Globe, the Rose offers a rich programme of plays and talks throughout the year. Kingston also boasts the largest Odeon cinema in the UK and for the hardy a number of late night bars and clubs. Kingston also offers one of the largest shopping centres in the UK outside of Central London, with plenty of stores to suit all tastes and budgets.
A short bus, train or riverboat ride away is historic Richmond upon Thames, home of the likes of Virginia Woolf, Noel Coward, David Garrick, Harold Pinter, and Freddie Mercury.
Walkers can enjoy a leisurely stroll along the historic river Thames, with paths that lead all the way from Kingston to Richmond and on to Kew, home of the historic Royal Gardens. From Kingston boat cruises are available to Hampton Court, Richmond, Kew, even all the way up to Embankment, under the House of Parliament and across from the London Eye.
Learn more about Kingston upon Thames on the city's official website.
Places of Interest across London
From both Surbiton and Kingston Stations, London Waterloo is only 20-25 minutes away. From Waterloo the Northern, Bakerloo, and Jubilee Underground Lines spread out providing links to any and all of London’s myriad of tourist sights, theatres, cinemas, restaurants and bars. There are so many things to do it would be impossible to list them all, and so this link provides details of many of the outstanding opportunities to explore in this historic city.
Of particular interest to Slayage delegates might be the following:
Further along the river is the Globe Theatre, Sam Wanamaker’s recreation of Shakespeare’s original theatre on its original site, which offers a range of reasonably-priced plays throughout the summer, and the Tate Modern, home of an extraordinary collection of Modern Art. Entry to the main exhibits is free. For the traditionalists, across the river in Trafalgar Square in the shadow of Nelson’s Column is the National Gallery, which houses one of the largest collections of art in Europe, and is also absolutely free.
London was also the home of Charles Dickens and visitors can visit the Charles Dickens Museum or simply enjoy a pint in his favourite pub, the Lamb and Flag in Covent Garden. You can also visit Dickens London on one of the legendary London Walking Tours, or if you’re in a more macabre mood, visit the spots where Jack the Ripper plied his deadly trade, and visit the pub in Whitechapel where many of his victims spent their final hours.
Of particular interest to Slayage delegates might be the following:
- The Warner Bros Studios’ Harry Potter Tour: Enter the world of the boy wizard, walk through the great hall at Hogwarts, pay a visit to Privet Drive and witness the behind the scenes magic that brought the story to life, all washed down with a refreshing butterbeer (which tastes exactly how you expect it to).
- The South Bank: Just a minutes’ walk from Waterloo is the vibrant South Bank complex including the BFI South Bank cinema, the National Theatre, the Royal Festival Hall, the Hayward Gallery, the London Eye, the London Aquarium and the grisly London Dungeons.
Further along the river is the Globe Theatre, Sam Wanamaker’s recreation of Shakespeare’s original theatre on its original site, which offers a range of reasonably-priced plays throughout the summer, and the Tate Modern, home of an extraordinary collection of Modern Art. Entry to the main exhibits is free. For the traditionalists, across the river in Trafalgar Square in the shadow of Nelson’s Column is the National Gallery, which houses one of the largest collections of art in Europe, and is also absolutely free.
London was also the home of Charles Dickens and visitors can visit the Charles Dickens Museum or simply enjoy a pint in his favourite pub, the Lamb and Flag in Covent Garden. You can also visit Dickens London on one of the legendary London Walking Tours, or if you’re in a more macabre mood, visit the spots where Jack the Ripper plied his deadly trade, and visit the pub in Whitechapel where many of his victims spent their final hours.