Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens began its life as a brutal royal necessity rather than a public park. King Henry the Eighth claimed this land in the sixteenth century to use as his private hunting grounds, filling the space with deer for his sport. It remained a restricted royal zone for generations until King William the Third and Queen Mary the Second moved into the nearby Nottingham House, which they renamed Kensington Palace. To satisfy their desire for a private royal retreat, they carved this western section away from the larger Hyde Park to create a sanctuary shielded from the public eye.