Kingswood, Dulwich
Encyclopedia
Kingswood House, formerly known as King's Coppice, is a Victorian
mansion
in West Dulwich
at the southerly tip of the London Borough of Southwark
, England
. It is a Grade II listed building. In 1811 William Vizard (the solicitor
to Queen Caroline
in her divorce from George IV
) was granted a 63 year lease
for Kingswood Lodge. When Vizard returned to his native Gloucestershire
in 1831, others were granted the property leases.
From 1891 the house was owned by John Lawson Johnston
(inventor of Bovril
) who extended the house and remodelled the facade including adding battlements. Johnston acquired the nickname Mr Bovril and because of its castellated features Kingswood became known locally as Bovril Castle.
In the First World War Kingswood was used as a convalescence home for wounded Canadian soldiers. At this time it came to the notice of Lady Vestey who was doing social work in connection with the soldiers housed there. In 1919 her husband Sir William Vestey was granted an 80-year lease and in 1921 when he was raised to the peerage
he became Baron Vestey
of Kingswood in the County of Surrey. Kingswood was the Vestey's main home until Sir William's death.
In 1956 London County Council
acquired the site by compulsory purchase. Lord Vestey's estate had by now been developed into a large residential area with the grounds occupied by houses, flats and shops. Ownership of the house itself was vested
in the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
and it was opened as a community centre and library. In 1965 it became the property of the London borough of Southwark. It underwent substantial refurbishment in the 1980s and 1990s, and is still owned by the council and in use for conferences, meetings, and civil marriages.
In the grounds in front of Kingswood House, there are still some remains of the Pulham
features.
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
in West Dulwich
West Dulwich
West Dulwich is an area in southeast London, England, that straddles the London Borough of Lambeth and the London Borough of Southwark. Croxted Road and South Croxted Road mark the boundary between London Borough of Southwark on the east and London Borough of Lambeth to the west...
at the southerly tip of the London Borough of Southwark
London Borough of Southwark
The London Borough of Southwark is a London borough in south east London, England. It is directly south of the River Thames and the City of London, and forms part of Inner London.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a Grade II listed building. In 1811 William Vizard (the solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
to Queen Caroline
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
in her divorce from George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
) was granted a 63 year lease
Leasing
Leasing is a process by which a firm can obtain the use of a certain fixed assets for which it must pay a series of contractual, periodic, tax deductible payments....
for Kingswood Lodge. When Vizard returned to his native Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
in 1831, others were granted the property leases.
John Lawson Johnston
John Lawson Johnston was the creator of Bovril.He was born in 29 Main Street, Roslin, Midlothian. A plaque is on the property and can be seen above the door...
(inventor of Bovril
Bovril
Bovril is the trademarked name of a thick, salty meat extract, developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston and sold in a distinctive, bulbous jar. It is made in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, owned and distributed by Unilever UK....
) who extended the house and remodelled the facade including adding battlements. Johnston acquired the nickname Mr Bovril and because of its castellated features Kingswood became known locally as Bovril Castle.
In the First World War Kingswood was used as a convalescence home for wounded Canadian soldiers. At this time it came to the notice of Lady Vestey who was doing social work in connection with the soldiers housed there. In 1919 her husband Sir William Vestey was granted an 80-year lease and in 1921 when he was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
he became Baron Vestey
Baron Vestey
Baron Vestey, of Kingswood in the County of Surrey, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1922 for the shipping magnate Sir William Vestey, 1st Baronet. He was the co-founder of the Blue Star Line...
of Kingswood in the County of Surrey. Kingswood was the Vestey's main home until Sir William's death.
In 1956 London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
acquired the site by compulsory purchase. Lord Vestey's estate had by now been developed into a large residential area with the grounds occupied by houses, flats and shops. Ownership of the house itself was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell
Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in the County of London. The borough was created in 1900 by the London Government Act 1899, covering the area of the ancient parish of Camberwell...
and it was opened as a community centre and library. In 1965 it became the property of the London borough of Southwark. It underwent substantial refurbishment in the 1980s and 1990s, and is still owned by the council and in use for conferences, meetings, and civil marriages.
In the grounds in front of Kingswood House, there are still some remains of the Pulham
James Pulham and Son
James Pulham and Son was a firm of Victorian landscape gardeners and terracotta manufacturers which exhibited and won medals at London's Great Exhibition of 1851 and 1862 International Exhibition.-History:...
features.