Queen Square

Queen Square is a garden square in Bloomsbury, central London. It was laid out between 1716 and 1725 on the garden of Sir John Cutler’s house. The northern side was left open so the hills of Hampstead and Highgate could frame the view. Many buildings around the square belong to hospitals and medical research centres. The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery stands on the east side. The Institute of Neurology, part of University College London, occupies the north-east corner. The square has strong links to medicine and royal history. King George III was treated for mental illness in a house here at the end of his reign. A statue once thought to show Queen Anne is now recognised as Queen Charlotte. A nearby pub, the Queen’s Larder, is said to have stored food for the king during his treatment. In 1861 a Turkish bath for women opened at No 26 and gave over 37,000 baths before closing in 1865. The Working Women’s College started here in 1864 under Elizabeth Malleson. Visitors find a quiet garden surrounded by historic buildings. The church of St George the Martyr stands at the southern end. The Mary Ward Centre for adult education occupies the former Italian Hospital. Alexandra House on the west side houses the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience. The Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging is at No 12. The Sobell Department contains a large lecture theatre used for postgraduate teaching. The square remains a centre for neurology research and care.