CHAPTER VII 



KENSINGTON PALACE 



As has been already stated in the chapter dealing with that 

 subject, Hampton Court indirectly owes much of its present 

 appearance, both in palace and gardens, to the poor health of 

 William III. And to the same cause the English Crown is 

 indebted for the possession of Kensington Palace. William, 

 after finding it impossible to live in the smoky atmosphere 

 of Whitehall, had no sooner chosen Hampton Court as his 

 residence than he was compelled to decide it was too far 

 removed from London for the prompt transaction of the 

 many and difficult affairs of state to which instant attention 

 was made necessary by the uncertainty of his position and 

 the activity of his enemies. After a few weeks at Holland 

 House, he, in the words of Macaulay, " fixed his choice on 

 Kensington House, the suburban residence of the Earl of 

 Nottingham. ... At present Kensington House is considered 

 as a part of London. It was then a rural mansion." Before 

 coming into William's possession it was known as Notting- 

 ham House. Belonging originally to Heneage Finch, Earl 

 of Nottingham and Lord Chancellor, it was sold by his son 

 to the Crown. At this time the house was small and not 

 suitable for a royal residence, but by the King's orders a new 

 upper story and south wing were built by Sir Christopher 

 Wren. William also began to lay out the gardens entirely 

 afresh. 



The purchase was made in 1 690, and at that time the 

 extent of the grounds was about twenty-six acres. Le Notre, 

 who had been in England from time to time during the 



preceding thirty years, was employed to design the new 



82 



