Kensington Gore takes its name from the Old English word for a triangular piece of land ('gara'). The district of Kensington itself appears in the Domesday Book so its origins date back to at least 1086. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was noted as a place to take the air (!), and there were several very grand mansions there, including Gore House in Kensington Gore, home of William Wilberforce (of anti-slavery fame) and, later, the Countess of Blessington. It fell into decline when she died and the contents of the house were sold in 1849 at a huge auction. The house then became a restaurant but was bought by the Royal Commissioners for the Great Exhibition - and eventually the Royal Albert Hall was built on the site.