In the Footsteps of Sir Thomas Moore in Kensington

Sometimes, for those staying in Kensington hotels, there’s a tendency to think that the sumptuous Victorian and Georgian architecture is all that the area’s past has to offer. Yet the history of the locality goes back much further; one very famous past resident was Sir Thomas Moore.

Who was Thomas Moore?

For those millions around the globe who love English history, the Tudor period and specifically the reign of King Henry VIII attract many devotees. Famous (or perhaps infamous) for his sagas with his six wives, he also instigated the great religious upheaval and reformation that turned England eventually into a Protestant rather than a Catholic country. So it’s a complex and colourful, not to say often bloody, part of the country’s history.

Contrary to some common misconceptions, Henry:

1. Never really abandoned much of his own Catholic upbringing and belief system.
2. Executed ‘only’ two of his wives rather than all six.

Henry was also well known for his religious ministers, many of who have become almost as famous as their monarch. These include Cardinal Wolsey and, of course, Sir Thomas Moore. Moore was one of the leading intellects of the time; a great thinker and humanist, he was also an author of world-renown for his famous work "Utopia".

Unusually for one of Henry’s ministers, he appeared to be intuitively ‘in-synch’ with the King; most scholars believe they were genuine and very close friends for many of the years that Moore was associated with Henry as a tutor and latterly minister. A close confident of the King, he eventually became one of the most influential people in England and served as Chancellor.

The end of Moore

Moore lived in today’s Kensington and Chelsea in a house he built that covered an area now known as Beaufort Street – close to where you may be staying in Kensington.He became world-famous due to his unbelievable personal courage in making a stand for his conscience when Henry eventually made himself head of the Church in England, largely in order to secure a divorce from Katherine of Aragon. Moore could not accept the King taking both spiritual and temporal power, arguing that the former was the role of the Pope in Rome. He eventually refused to sign an oath accepting Henry’s new position and spiritual role, knowing that this would leave him open to legal, if entirely unjustified, charges of treason against his old friend. Even so, he resigned his powerful official posts and retired to private life.

Defying the will of a monarch in 16th century England was usually a death-sentence. In spite of their past friendship and Moore’s loyal service over many years, in 1535 he was arrested and taken to the Tower of London. Even though there was considerable emotional pressure from all sides, including the royal court, he continually refused to sign the document that would have saved his life. The end was predictable, and in July 1535 he knelt at the block and was beheaded. Long recognised as a Catholic martyr, 400 years later in 1935 he was made a saint.

Moore’s original home in Kensington is now long-gone, although parts of his one-time central London residence were relocated, stone-by-stone, to Chelsea in the early 20th century. It’s called Crosby Hall, but is today a private residence.

So, if you're staying in Kensington in one of the elegant hotels there, remember - the ground it stands on will have seen a far lengthier history than might appear at first glance.

Matthew Zelinski works for the London Regency Hotel, one of the top hotels in Kensington. If you’re staying in Kensington, this wonderful hotel embodies the true flavour of the area, with its traditional regency-style façade and superb facilities. Whether you're looking for accommodation in London for business or leisure, the Regency offers an effortlessly elegant experience.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.