KENNINGTON PARK Not very far from Vauxhall, beyond the famous Oval, lies the larger and more pretentious Kennington Park of 19.5 acres. This has a long history as Kennington Common. It formed part of the Duchy of Cornwall estates, having been settled by James I. on Prince Henry, and has since belonged to each succeeding Prince of Wales. In still earlier times there was a Royal Palace at Kennington, which fell into decay after Henry VIII 's reign. Here as on all similar commons, the people had a right of grazing cattle for six months of the year. But the moment it was open to them in the spring such a number of beasts were turned on to the ground, that in a very short time "the herbage" was "devoured, and it remained entirely bare for the rest of the season."
