Our Monthly Sunday Walks
Every other week, on Sunday afternoons in the summer months, we also offer two other guided walks:
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a walk down Old London Road and Clarence Street
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a walk pointing out the old pubs of Kingston
Please see Walk Times for details.
Books and Videos
Kingston Tour Guides - Videos
20 Questions about Kingston
A History of the Market Place
The Great Kingston Quiz
Cyninges Tun - A Brief History of Kingston upon Thames
Available Books
If you would like to purchase any of the books below, please use the Contact Us form.
Where were Cut Throat Alley and Heathen Street? How many could be hanged at one time and where? Who won the battle of the town undertakers? Secret Kingston upon Thames goes behind the façades of the familiar to discover the lesser-known aspects of the town’s fascinating past. Kingston upon Thames has many secrets, and as you walk along the streets you are walking through history. There are clear reminders of the town’s past everywhere, waiting for you to stop, look and listen to their intriguing stories. On a journey through this ancient town, local tour guide Julian McCarthy tells these forgotten or untold tales. You may think that you know Kingston upon Thames, but take another look around and you will find more than you could possibly imagine
The history of the ancient town of Kingston upon Thames goes back to Anglo-Saxon times, and two Saxon kings were crowned there. Historically in Surrey, it has been an important crossing point for the River Thames for centuries and although the town is now part of Greater London, it retains its separate identity despite the massive growth of population in the area. Kingston also has a proud industrial past, being associated with military aircraft design and manufacture by famous names such as Sopwith, Hawker and Hawker Siddeley and British Aerospace. In A–Z of Kingston upon Thames author Julian McCarthy reveals the fascinating and often quirky history behind Kingston upon Thames, its streets and buildings and people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, such as Dr Battie, famous for his studies of insanity and arguably the origin of the term ‘being batty’, and Dr Daniel Biddle and T. Clarke, aviation pioneers. Tucked- away places are featured, as well as lesser-known associations, for example, with father and son land and water speed record holders Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell, and the unusual such as the use of the Cucking Stool and the annual Shrove Tuesday football match. This fully illustrated A–Z of Kingston upon Thames history will appeal to all, especially those with an interest in this historical town.
At the heart of one of London’s busiest boroughs, nestled on the bank of the River Thames, lies Kingston upon Thames. This vibrant town first appears on record in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles when King Alfred the Great’s grandfather came here in AD 838, and by the tenth century it had become a place of coronation for at least two Anglo-Saxon kings. The town itself has managed to retain many of its historical roots, with the countless examples of beautiful architecture throughout the ages. Kingston upon Thames in 50 Buildings explores history through a selection of the greatest of these treasures. In this unique study, Julian McCarthy celebrates the Kingston’s architectural heritage in a new and accessible way with a chronological tour of the town’s historic and modern buildings.