Community

United Kingdom

Churches

All Saints church is situated opposite John Lewis, with a second entrance located in the Ancient Market Place. The church is open every day, with coffee available to visitors Monday to Saturday mornings. The church has a fascinating history; Egbert, King of Wessex, held his great council here in 838 and Athelstan and Ethelred the Unready were two more of the seven Saxon kings of England crowned here in the 10th century. The church boasts a 14th century wall-painting of St. Blaise, the impressive 16th century tomb of Sir Anthony Benn, a 17th century marble font attributed to Sir Christopher Wren, twelve bells and an 18th century Carillon, the great west window of the 19th century, and the magnificent Frobenius organ installed in 1988.

 Located on Union street, Kingston Baptist Church is situated in the heart of Kingston town centre and offers a Sunday morning service at 10.30am. The United Reformed Church is on Eden Street, located opposite the Costcutter (Post Office) and the Hippodrome nightclub. They hold regular services every Sunday morning and a lunchtime service on Wednesdays from 1.10pm - 1.30pm, aimed at people who work and shop in Kingston, all are welcome. The Kingston Quaker meeting House is also located on Eden Street and meetings for worship are held every Sunday from 10:00-11:00am.

Courts

Kingston's civic buildings include the Guildhall which houses Kingston Council and the magistrates' court, There is also the county court, a local museum and public library. A short distance away is the Crown Court building, adjacent to the County Hall Building which houses the main offices of Surrey County Council.

Museum

Built in 1904 with restorations between 1992 and 1997, Kingston Museum and Heritage Service operates on two sites and comprises of a Museum, Local History Room, an Archives Service and include a Lottery-funded 'Town of Kings' Gallery, telling the story of the Borough from Saxon times. The Museum has three permanent galleries: Ancient Origins, Town of Kings and Eadweard Muybridge, and there is an Art Gallery for temporary exhibitions. The Museum also has a special 'Community Showcase' that can be hired on a monthly basis by local groups. The Local History Room holds a large and growing collection of local history research material. Free admission.

Library

Kingston library is open everyday except Wednesdays and Sundays. Services offered include; books, CD-ROMs, computer games, DVDs, language courses, magazines, newspapers, spoken word cassettes, IT facilities, study area, internet access, fax and photocopier. There is also a children's library open the same days. Oyster Cards and top ups are now available from this branch.

Education

Kingston University is divided into five faculties; Art, Design and Architecture, Arts and Social Sciences, Business and Law, Health and Social Care Sciences, and Science, Engineering and Computing, all divided up in four campuses; Penrhyn Road, Kingston Hill, Knights Park and Roehampton Vale, all of which are located in and around Kingston town centre.

Kingston College offers a variety of short courses aimed at adult learners who want to increase their career opportunities or simply broaden their knowledge in a particular area, ranging from learning a new language to a health and beauty course. Some of these courses are part time and in the evening to suit working hours. There are two grammar secondary schools in Kingston; Tiffin Boys School and Kingston Grammar School located opposite each other on London road.