Kennington history

In Anglo-Saxon, “kyning-tun” meant “the Place of the King”. It was a royal manor before the Norman Conquest and remained popular with kings for many centuries. The Black Prince had a palace near Black Prince Road, and various kings over the years maintained houses in the area. James I gave the Manor of Kennington to the Prince of Wales, the future Charles I. In fact, much of Kennington is still owned by the present Prince of Wales. Kennington Park was common land where executions were frequently held, along with other fairground attractions. Fashionable houses were constructed in the area in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Charlie Chaplin lived in Kennington in his youth.