At the heart of one of London's busiest boroughs, nestled on the bank of the River Thames, lies Kingston upon Thames. This vibrant town first appears on record in the Anglo-Saxon chronicles when King Alfred the Great's grandfather came here in AD 838, and by the tenth century it had become a place of coronation for at least two Anglo-Saxon kings. The town itself has managed to retain many of its historical roots, with the countless examples of beautiful architecture throughout the ages. Kingston upon Thames in 50 Buildings explores history through a selection of the greatest of these treasures. In this unique study, Julian McCarthy celebrates the Kingston's architectural heritage in a new and accessible way with a chronological tour of the town's historic and modern buildings.