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The postponed Serpentine Pavilion by Counterspace has been unveiled in Kensington Gardens.
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The Elfin Oak | A whimsical visit to fairyland in Kensington Gardens
The story of how an ancient oak was given an artistic makeover to delight imaginative children.
The Elfin Oak, now protected by a cage, stands in Kensington Gardens
Like most of the Royal Parks, Kensington Gardens is home to several unique attractions and artworks. One of these is the Elfin Oak, in the north-west corner of the Gardens. Located near the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground is an ancient oak tree with dozens of whimsical decorations.
Get up close to check out the various characters
Now protected by a cage, the Elfin Oak was made from the trunk of an ancient oak tree which originally grew in Richmond Park. Politician George Lansbury (1859-1940) conceived the idea, with Lady Winifred Fortescue (1888-1951) funding the project in a bid of improve facilities in Royal Parks.
Scottish-born artist Ivor Innes carved and painted 74 miniatures of fairies, elves, goblins, witches and animals into the oak, said to be around 800 years old. Among the characters are Wookey the Witch, Hucklebery the Gnome, Mother Cinders, Harebell the fairy, and elves named Grumples and Groodle.
The Elfin Oak was unveiled in August 1930 by the Mayoress of Kensington, Mrs Robinson – wife of then-Mayor Henry Robinson (1877-1960). Located near the children’s playground, it was the perfect place to inspire young minds’ about far off fairylands. The same year, Ivor’s wife Elise published a short story called ‘The Elfin Oak of Kensington Gardens’.
Over the years, the Elfin Oak was exposed to the elements, with a lot of the figurines losing their colour, being damaged and some pieces even going missing. Late comedian and local, Spike Milligan (1918-2002) helped restore the oak in both 1964-1966 and 1996. The nineties restoration was unveiled by Prince Charles in June 1997 with Historic England declaring it Grade II listed the same year. It is now surrounded by a cage in a bid to preserve the oak for future generations.
- The Elfin Oak can be found near the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in the north-west corner of Kensington Gardens, W2 4RU. Nearest stations: Queensway or Bayswater. For more information, visit the Royal Parks website.
For more of Metro Girl’s history posts, click here.
Read Metro Girl’s art posts, click here.
Serpentine Pavilion 2019: Slope down to Junya Ishigami’s rock-y structure
Aug 17
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Visit the temporary pavilion designed by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami in Kensington Gardens.
Go west! Exploring Kensington’s hidden gems and local hangouts
There’s more to this expansive west London district than just the palace…
Kensington is world renowned for its royal palace
The London district of Kensington is world renowned for its palace, famous museums and having some of the most expensive property in the UK. From the grand museums of South Kensington to the greenery of Kensington Gardens, each district has its own different character. With its location and tube stations providing easy access to the capital’s attractions, Kensington is a popular base for many visitors.
With the borough boasting an array of museums, it’s no surprise that three of its attractions appear in the top 10 list of most visited free attractions in London. The Natural History Museum had over 4 million visitors in 2017, while its neighbours the Science Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum had over 3 million. Meanwhile, Kensington Palace is No.11 on the list of paid London attractions, with over 645,000 visitors in 2017.
While all three of the big museums are brilliant places to go, there’s a lot more to visit in Kensington. I’ve worked a large chunk of my career in Kensington and have stumbled upon the lesser-known attractions of the area when I’ve not been working. For this blog post, I spent the day exploring some of Kensington’s hidden gems. One particular destination off the beaten path is the stunning Leighton House Museum. Located near Holland Park and Kensington High Street, it was built in stages from 1866 to 1895 as a home and studio for painter Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896). From the outside, it looks like a classical, red Victorian home. However, upon stepping inside, it’s like entering a Moorish palace. The main attraction is the beautiful Arab Hall, with its mosaics, Islamic tiles and golden dome. As well as its stunning interiors and expansive garden (by London standards at least!), there is also an extensive art collection, featuring paintings and sculptures by Leighton and his Victorian contemporaries. If you’re a fan of architecture and/or art – particularly pre-Raphaelite paintings – I recommend checking it out. You’re not allowed photos inside, although you can get some good shots in the lovely garden.
The stunning Arab Hall in the Leighton House Museum
© Leighton House Museum, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Designer dreaming at the Azzedine Alaïa exhibition at the Design Museum
A short walk away is the Design Museum on Kensington High Street. It was previously located in Bermondsey, but moved to the former Commonwealth Institute in Kensington in 2016. The spacious 1960s building is worth a visit in itself for architecture fans. It is home to a permanent free exhibition; ‘Designer, Maker, User’, as well as various changing exhibitions and events throughout the year. On my particular visit, I bought tickets for the Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier exhibition, which is on until 7 October 2018. Curated with the designer shortly before his death last year, the exhibition features a collection of his fashions from the early 1980s to his last collection in 2017. The museum is an interesting space and the way the team have presented Alaia’s creations on transparent models on mirrored platforms was brilliant and really showcased the layers and angles of each design.
Eggs royale @ Cafe Phillies
When you’re in this end of High Street Kensington, there’s a great little café down a quiet side street if you’re feeling peckish. Located on Phillimore Gardens with a small outdoor terrace is Café Phillies. It’s an independent café and wine bar, popular with locals and serves an all-day breakfast. It’s a cosy venue with contemporary art on the walls and friendly staff. I took advantage of the unlimited brunch hours and ordered an Eggs Benedict Royale for a late lunch. Served on toasted English muffins, there was a very generous serving of smoked salmon and the poached eggs were perfectly runny. A great spot for lunch or breakfast.
If you’re looking for some fresh air, consider walking down to Kensington Gardens. The large park covers 207 acres, with Kensington Palace located in the western end of the Gardens. Known for being the London home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, parts of the palace are open to the public, including the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments. On this particular visit, I remained outside the palace walls and enjoyed the many free attractions of the gardens. As the palace was the last home to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, there are several memorials to the royal, including a children’s playground and a memorial walk. Throughout the Gardens are many buildings and sculptures to check out, including the 18th century Queen Caroline’s Temple, Henry Moore’s arch, the Elfin Oak, and the ornate Albert Memorial. The north side of the park features the 150-year-old Italian ornamental garden, built as a gift to Queen Victoria from her husband Prince Albert. Nearby is Queen Anne’s Alcove, a small structure built in 1705 and designed Sir Christopher Wren. Meanwhile, deeper in the Gardens is Queen Caroline’s Temple, a quaint 18th century summer house with views towards the Long Water. Read the rest of this entry
Explore the light, reflections and space of Frida Escobedo’s Serpentine Pavilion
Jul 15
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Every summer, the Serpentine Gallery ask an architect to design a Pavilion for their grounds. This year, Mexican architect Frida Escobedo is the youngest ever and 18th architect to create a temporary structure. She follows in the footsteps of previous architects, such as Bjarke Ingels, Jean Nouvel, Frank Gehry, Oscar Niemeyer, Sou Fujimoto, Smiljan Radić, Selgascano, and, […]
Serpentine Pavilion 2017: Seek shelter under a canopy of triangles
Jul 19
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This summer sees the return of the Serpentine Pavilion, a temporary structure in Kensington Gardens. Every year, the Serpentine Gallery invites an international architect to create a pavilion in their grounds. Now in its 17th year, the opening of the Pavilion has become a big event on the London art scene. This year, the structure has […]
Serpentine summer houses: Explore four very different structures in Kensington Gardens
Aug 11
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Every year, a temporary structure is erected in the grounds of the Serpentine Gallery. However, this year, the Serpentine Pavilion – designed by Denmark’s Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) – is accompanied by four smaller structures nearby in Kensington Gardens. The four Summer Houses are 25sqm each and are inspired by Queen Caroline’s Temple, a classical-style summer house […]
Serpentine Pavilion 2016: A pyramid of bulging bricks by Bjarke Ingels
Jun 28
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A look at the 16th temporary pavilion in Kensington Gardens, created by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2015: A tunnel of colour by Selgascano
This year’s Serpentine Pavilion is designed by Selgascano, headed by José Selgas and Lucía Cano
It’s that time of year again – when an international architect is invited to design a temporary structure in the grounds of the Serpentine Gallery. Now in its 15th year, the opening of the Pavilion has become a big event on the London art scene. This year, the structure has been created by Spanish architects Selgascano – headed by José Selgas and Lucía Cano, who have been inspired by the London Underground. They follow in the footsteps of past architects who have created Pavilions for the Gallery, including Jean Nouvel, Frank Gehry, Oscar Niemeyer, Sou Fujimoto and Smiljan Radić. The Pavilion will stand on the lawn outside the Serpentine Gallery over the summer.
The Selgascano Pavilion is the 15th to stand on the site
This year’s creation is a polygonal tunnel of colour, which can be entered from different points. It also includes a secret corridor joining the inner and outer layers of the structure. As the light is diffused through the coloured panels, it gives a stained glass effect. Inside is a café serving Fortnum & Mason sandwiches, salads, cakes and pastries.
- The Serpentine Pavilion is open from now until 18 October 2015. Free to visit, but also contains a café inside. Open 10am-6pm. Serpentine Pavilion, Kensington Gardens, Kensington, W2 3XA. Nearest tube: Lancaster Gate, Knightsbridge or South Kensington. For more information, visit the Serpentine Gallery website.
The light streaming through the structure gives a stained glass effect
For Metro Girl’s post on last year’s Pavilion, click here.
For a guide to what else is on in London in October, click here.
Photo Friday | Smiljan Radić’s Serpentine Pavilion
Smiljan Radić’s Serpentine Pavilion is open until 19 October 2014
I haven’t done a photo post in a while, but thought I’d do a short post with a photo of the Serpentine Pavilion, which is only open for another few weeks before it leaves London forever. Every year, the Serpentine gallery in Kensington Gardens invites an architect to design a temporary structure outside the building for the summer.
Open since late June, this year’s Pavilion is the 14th and has been designed by Chilean architect Smiljan Radić. The Pavilion is a semi-translucent shell-like structure propped up on quarry stones. It has been compared to a giant rock or spaceship due to its wide span of metallic-looking material. The temporary building includes a café inside, giving visitors a chance to enter and interact with the Pavilion.
- The Pavilion is located in Kensington Gardens, just outside the Serpentine Gallery, Kensington W2 3XA. Nearest tube: Lancaster Gate, Knightsbridge or South Kensington. The gallery is free to enter and is open daily from 10am-6pm. The Pavilion remains open daily until 19 October 2014. For more information, visit the Serpentine Gallery website.
For a post on last year’s Pavilion, read Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013: Sou Fujimoto lights up Kensington Gardens with his airy, lattice creation.
