Bloomsbury Square

Bloomsbury Square is a garden square in Bloomsbury, part of the London Borough of Camden. It was laid out in the late 17th century as Southampton Square and became one of London’s first squares. Bedford House once stood on the north side, but it was demolished in the early 19th century and replaced with terraced housing designed by James Burton. The square is bordered by Great Russell Street to the north, Bloomsbury Way to the south, and the British Museum lies to the west. A central garden remains the heart of the square, open to the public. The square has witnessed notable events and housed influential figures. In 1694, a duel between John Law and Edward Wilson took place here, ending in Wilson’s death. By the 19th century, the square was home to middle-class professionals, including writer Isaac D’Israeli and his son Benjamin, who later became Prime Minister. A bronze statue of Charles James Fox stands in the garden, sculpted by Richard Westmacott. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society once occupied an 18th-century building partly designed by John Nash on the southern side. Visitors find a quiet green space surrounded by elegant 18th- and early 19th-century houses. Victoria House, a large early 20th-century office building, dominates the eastern side. The garden was refurbished in 2003 and is Grade II listed. Current occupants include Pushkin House, Le Cordon Bleu, and the German Historical Institute. The square’s cultural footprint extends to music and literature, appearing in Vaughan Williams’s symphony and Dickens’s works.