Woburn Square

Woburn Square is the smallest of the Bloomsbury squares in London’s Borough of Camden. Designed by Thomas Cubitt between 1829 and 1847, it was named after Woburn Abbey, the country seat of the Dukes of Bedford. The square sits on land once divided between the parishes of St Pancras and Holborn, with boundary stones still visible in its gardens. Built on former marshland, it originally had 41 houses, smaller than those in nearby Gordon Square and therefore cheaper to rent. The square once stretched further south towards Russell Square before part of it was removed in the 1970s. The square’s history reflects the development of Bloomsbury by the Bedford Estate. Unlike larger squares such as Bedford Square or Tavistock Square, Woburn Square was designed for more modest housing. Its southern half was demolished to make way for new university buildings, including those for the School of Oriental and African Studies and the Institute of Education. Christ Church, designed by Lewis Vulliamy in 1833, once stood nearby before its removal. Today, Woburn Square remains a quiet, narrow garden surrounded by university buildings. The remaining houses form part of the University of London estate. Nearby are other Bloomsbury landmarks like Woburn Walk and Sicilian Avenue, both designed by Cubitt. The square’s modest scale and historic boundaries offer a contrast to the grander squares of the area.