6-9,Market Place

History

Kingston upon Thames, historically in Surrey, was an important market town, port and river crossing from the early medieval period, while there is evidence of Saxon settlement and of activity dating from the prehistoric period and of Roman occupation. It is close to the important historic royal estates at Hampton Court, Bushy Park, Richmond and Richmond Park. The old core of the town, around All Saints Church (C14 and C15, on an earlier site) and Market Place, with its recognisably medieval street pattern, is ‘the best preserved of its type in outer London’ (Pevsner and Cherry, London: South, 1983 p. 307). Kingston thrived first as an agricultural and market town and on its historic industries of malting, brewing and tanning, salmon fishing and timber exporting, before expanding rapidly as a suburb after the arrival of the railway in the 1860s. In the later C19 it become a centre of local government, and in the early C20 became an important shopping and commercial centre. Its rich diversity of buildings and structures from all periods reflect the multi-facetted development of the town.

Details

Chiesman's Store (formerly Hide's Store). A large modern department store, most of which is not of interest, but it contains some items of importance. In the basement, some flint walling and C17 brickwork. Inside the store, a fine mid C17 timber staircase from the Castle Hotel, which formerly occupied the site. Heavy square newels with carved, panelled sides and ball finials; strings carved with laurel leaves; heavy, moulded handrails; the space between handrails and strings filled with heavy foliage and roses, within which are some human figures. Some of the newels are initialled. [VCH]. Also incorporated into the new structure is an C18 hipped, tiled roof above a much-altered 3 storey, 4 bay range. [On the south side facing alleyway to back yard]. Listed solely for the items described.

Listing NGR: TQ1786669199

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 16/02/2016

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

203157

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Cherry, B, Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England, London 2: South, (1983), 307

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry