One last Sunday morning in Kensington
 

I have one last Sunday morning (July 25) in Kensington before I have to leave London. My flight leaves at 16:15 from Heathrow, so I take that to mean I should probably head out on the tube about 12:00.

I'm guessing the best activity might be to visit an interesting church service within easy walking distance of my hotel (say 2 km or so). I'll be at the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum. Any suggestions, church or otherwise?

Depending on your preferred brand (and bearing in mind that the Cromwell Rd isn't everyone's definition of Kensington, and that you presumably mean July 28):
- Brompton Oratory (Catholic) has real, sung, Latin High Mass at 11.
- Holy Trinity (Anglican)Brompton Road is the centre of the Alpha movement
- the Cathedral of the Dormition, Ennismore Gardens, has Russian Orthodox liturgy at 10.30
- St Paul's Wilton Place Knightsbridge (Anglican) might be pushing your 2km, but probably offers the best conventional sung Anglican Eucharist at 11
- St Mary Abbotts (Anglican) is what most people regard as Kensington Church. But it's a schlep for you, and its choral matins is at 11.15
- St Columba's (Church of Scotland), Pont St, has stylishly ascetic services, with morning service at 9.30

Isn't July 25, 2004 a Sunday?

If Cromwell Road isn't Kensington, what would it be? I'm not surprised the hotel would stretch the truth, of course.

Those are great suggestions. Thank you for them. I think I might go for the Russian Orthodox liturgy, as I have never seen anything similar. (This gets back to the long ago thread about tourists who don't share the beliefs of the places they are visiting, but I promise to be respectful as always.)

You're OK - the 25th is sunday -- about the only mistake flanneruk makes on here :-)

Part of Cromwell rd is in SOUTH Kensington -- which is not Kensington. And the western bit is really in Earls Court - but most hotels know not to put Earls Court in there adverts so many end up saying Kens or S. Kens.

Don't know which applies to your hotel.

oops - that should read "their adverts"

The hotel is right near the Gloucester Road tube stop.

Just for curiosity's sake, what would be the dividing line between Kensington and South Kensington?

Not trying to keep you from church, but thought I'd mention Spencer House is only open to the public on Sundays if that would interest you. It opens at 10:30am.

http://www.spencerhouse.co.uk/tourist.htm

BTW, leaving at noon sounds like a lot of time for a Sunday although don't know how often the trains run on a Sunday.

It could be a lot of time, but apparently the tube journey is 42 minutes on the Piccadilly line, and it would take at least a few minutes to get there from the hotel, and we are also advised to check in 3 hours ahead of time. Plus, being the believer in Murphy's Law that I am, I have to count on the tube breaking down or being delayed ;-).

If you are staying near the Gloucester Rd station you will be in South Kens. A very good and convenient area.

Kensington is west of Kens Palace/Gardens, and S. Kens. is south of the parks, around the Museums, just north of Chelsea, and west of Knightsbridge.

July 25 is indeed a Sunday. My apologies

The reason isn't just decaying brain cells. The Cathedral of the Dormition site gives dates both New Style and Old Style. I was looking in the "Old Style" column, and idiotically saw the June 28 service (= July 11 in real money)

But it's the first stage before they put me out of my misery.

officially, the area is the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

WillTravel,

Keep in mind that at a Russian Orthodox service you will be standing the entire time (unless it's different in England). But then you'll have plenty of time to sit on the plane.

Thanks for pointing that out, Underhill. I wonder how long a standing time that would be? I think I'd find more than 30 minutes or so annoying.

Probably around an hour, but if you were at the back you could leave when you got uncomfortable.

As an alternative, walk over to Kensington Round Pond and watch the kids with the sailboats. If you're lucky you might catch the Kensington Royal Miniature Yacht Regatta, which Prince Phillip sometimes attends. It's great fun to watch.

St. Stephens is a small and beautiful Anglican Church on Gloucester Road walking toward Partridge's Grocery (sorry, I'm hopeless at directions) and not far to walk from the tube stop. It is <i>very</i> &quot;high church&quot; but quite lovely.

Carolyn, do you mean the little church on the left hand side of Gloucester Road as you walk toward Hyde Park? I've never been inside, but I've noticed it several times? The one I mean is on the opposite side of Cromwell Road from the Gloucester Road station.

As an undergrad in NYC, I attended the Greek Orthodox services for the wonderful food.
M

We just returned from London and attended a church service as St. Mary Abbots on Kensington Church Street. It's a very nice old church.

If you took in a Sunday morning service there, you could easily walk over to the Kensington Rooftop Gardens (www.roofgardens.com) to see if they are open. The gardens are on the top of the building on Derry Street (off Kensington High Street.) There is no signage outside the building, but it's the building with the black awning on the right-hand side of Derry Street. Enter into the lobby and ask the man at the desk if the gardens are open. They are really amazing considering they are on top of a building.

:)

St Stephen's Gloucester Road is also known as the church where the poet TS Eliot was a churchwarden between 1934 and 59.

If you are an early riser, I would suggest a leisurely breakfst @ Bistro 190, SW7 (190 Queensgate, nr Glocester Rd, South Kensington).
M

vcl, Yes, that is the church. After the service, we went to Partridge's grocery and bought wonderful little savory tarts (which they warmed for us) and desserts for lunch, ate, and walked through Kensington Park and down past all the artwork that is displayed against the Hyde Park railings on Sunday afternoon, and then stopped in a Richoux for cream tea. It was a lovely day. I adore London.

Carolyn,

Your mention of Partridge's brought back wonderful memories of picnic lunches starring York ham. What a great place for foodies, even better than Harrod's food halls and Fortnum and Mason: &quot;small but cherce.&quot;

Carolyn:
Thanks. We'll have to stop in that church next time we're in London. We've been staying in that neighborhood for the last 10 years and still haven't begun to tap all it's possibilities.
Virginia

Given I am a T. S. Eliot fan, and given how convenient St Stephen's Gloucester Road church would be, I think I'll amend my plan. But it's great to have so many options so I can decide on the spur of the moment.

I'll be staying on Edgeware Road at the Hilton Metropole, any suggestions for a Sunday Service close by?

Thanks!

Julie

PS...we are of lutheran/methodist/non-denomination descent, go to more &quot;high church&quot; church. Enjoy a sung liturgy.
Any suggestions would be great...we're also looking for the morning of the 25th.