KINGSTON UPON THAMES

royal borough and outer borough of London, part of the historic county of Surrey. It lies on the south bank of the River Thames about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of central London. The borough was established in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former royal borough of Kingston-upon-Thames with the boroughs of Malden, Coombe, and Surbiton (all in Surrey). It includes such areas as (north to south) Kingston, Norbiton, New Malden, Surbiton, Malden, Tolworth, Hook, and Chessington. The area became an early transportation centre because the Thames was fordable there. Kingston's strength as a commercial centre increased markedly with the completion of a bridge across the river by the 12th century. The present Kingston Bridge was built in 1828, and the borough is traversed by the Kingston By-Pass. Kingston was recorded as Cyningestun (King's Estate) in 838 CE, when a Saxon council met in the town, and 30 royal charters were granted to it between 1200 and 1685. Tradition holds that seven Anglo-Saxon kings were crowned there in the 10th century, and their Coronation Stone now stands in the grounds of the modern Guildhall. Fanny Burney, the 18th- and 19th-century novelist, often stayed at Chessington. The 18th-century historian Edward Gibbon attended school at Kingston, and the 19th-century artists William Holman Hunt and Sir John Millais had associations with Surbiton and its environs. The photographer and motion-picture pioneer Eadweard Muybridge was born in the borough. Kingston Grammar School was founded by Elizabeth I in 1561, and the Kingston Museum and Heritage Centre has exhibits on local history. There are colleges of art and of continuing education, as well as a university. Kingston upon Thames is mainly residential but also contains one of Outer London's major shopping centres. Local industries include light engineering and manufacturing. The population is fairly homogeneous, with ethnic minorities (primarily South Asians) accounting for less than one-tenth of the total. Area 15 square miles (38 square km). Pop. (1998 est.) 147,300.