View source for Bedford Square

{{short description|Garden square in the Borough of Camden in London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
[[File:Bedford Square 2.jpg|thumb|The north side of Bedford Square, viewed from near the north-east corner]]
''' Bedford Square''' is a [[garden square]] in the [[Bloomsbury]] district of the [[London Borough of Camden|Borough of Camden]] in [[London]], England.
 
==History==
[[File:Bedford Square from Telecom Tower in 1966.jpg|thumb|Bedford Square from the [[BT Tower]] in 1966]]
[[File:London_Bedford_Square_May_2005.jpg|thumb|Bedford Square (2005)]]
[[File:London - Bedford Square - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Panorama of Bedford Square]]
Built between 1775 and 1783 as an upper middle class residential area, the square has had many distinguished residents, including [[John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon|Lord Eldon]], one of Britain's longest serving and most celebrated [[Lord Chancellor]]s, who lived in the largest house in the square for many years.<ref name=six>{{cite web|title='Nos. 6 and 6A, Bedford Square', in Survey of London: Volume 5, St Giles-in-The-Fields, Pt II|first1=W Edward |last1=Riley |first2=Laurence |last2=Gomme |location=London|year= 1914|pages= 154–156|url= http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol5/pt2/pp154-156 |access-date= 18 July 2018}}</ref> The square takes its name from the main title of the Russell family, the [[Dukes of Bedford]], who owned much of the land in what is now Bloomsbury.<ref>{{cite web|title='Bedford Square (general)', in Survey of London: Volume 5, St Giles-in-The-Fields, Pt II|first1= W Edward |last1=Riley |first2= Laurence |last2=Gomme |location=London|year=1914|pages= 150–151|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol5/pt2/pp150-151 |access-date= 18 July 2018}}</ref>
 
The architect [[Thomas Leverton]] is known to have designed some of the houses, although he may not have been responsible for all of them.<ref name="1/10" />

The building agreements for Bedford Square were signed by the trustees of the late Duke of Bedford and William Scott and Robert Grews, the builders, in 1776.<ref name=Byrne-31>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=31 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> The first leases, for the entire west side (Nos. 28–39), were granted in November 1776. It seems unlikely that these dozen houses were built within 11 months so building probably started in 1775. Except for No. 46, the south side leases were granted in 1777, the east side in 1777 and 1778 (except Nos. 1 and 10), and the north side in 1781 and 1782 (except Nos. 24–27, granted in 1777). No. 11, which stands in Gower Street but has always been considered part of the square, had a separate building agreement of 1781 and was leased in June 1783.<ref name=Byrne-40>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=40 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> This section was designed and built by [[Peter Matthias Van Gelder]].<ref>Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p.407</ref>

The leases were granted by the estate once the shells were built but with internal finishing still to be carried out. No. 23 was the last house to be occupied, its owner moving in during the last quarter of 1784.<ref name=Byrne-41>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=41 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref>

The delay in finishing the building of the square can be put down in part to the shortage of money during the American War of Independence. Loans were granted by the trustees of the estate to the builders in order to finance building work from November 1777.<ref name=Byrne-41+A2>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=41 and Appendix 2, p156 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref>

===Number 1===

Number 1 Bedford Square is one of the great terraced houses of [[Architecture_of_London#Georgian_architecture_(1714%E2%80%931811)|Georgian London]] and by far the best house in the square.<ref name=Byrne-76>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=76 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> [[John Summerson|Sir John Summerson]] described it as a "particularly fine house" in 1945.<ref name=Summerson-148>{{cite book |last=Summerson |first=John |date=1945 |title=Georgian London |location=London |publisher=Pleiades Books |page=148}}</ref>

Number 1 is almost certainly the work of the architect Thomas Leverton (1743-1824).<ref name=Byrne-76>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=76 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> By his own admission Leverton designed the interiors of both Numbers 6 and 13 Bedford Square <ref name=Byrne-91>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=91, letter to the Duke of Bedford dated 17 July 1797 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> and a number of details in those houses are repeated here. Although it sits outside the uniform symmetrical east side of the square, it has always been part of it and appropriately has always been numbered 1.<ref name=Byrne-74>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=74 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> The house is distinguished by its central entrance,<ref name=Byrne-cpI>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |at=colour plate I |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> rare for a three bay Georgian terraced house because such an arrangement required an ingenious plan to accommodate the staircase.<ref name=Byrne-77>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=77 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> The front door leads into an entrance hall which is flanked by two separate spaces, an anteroom to the right and the fine stone staircase to the left. With the staircase in the front of the house, Leverton was able to design full width rooms to the rear half which took full advantage of the view over the established gardens of the [[British Museum]].<ref name=Byrne-81>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |pages=81{{endash}}82 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> There is a particularly fine decorative plaster ceiling in the first floor rear room.<ref name=Byrne-cpVII>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |at=colour plate VII |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref>

The house was threatened with demolition by the British Museum in 1860, along with Numbers 2 and 3 and the fourteen houses to the south in [[Bloomsbury Street]], but nothing came of the museum's plans.<ref name=Byrne-89>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=89 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> Then in the early 1930s a new building was planned which would stand only 20 feet from the rear elevation of Number 1.<ref name=Byrne-89>{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Andrew |date=1990 |title=Bedford Square: an architectural study |location=London and Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey |publisher=The Athlone Press |page=89 |isbn=0 485 11386 4}}</ref> The threat produced an article in ''[[Country Life (magazine)|Country Life]]'' that heralded the house as "a masterpiece of English architecture" and of "exceptional merit". Support came from [[Edwin Lutyens|Sir Edwin Lutyens]], former resident of Number 31 Bedford Square for three years from 1915, who described the house as a "most interesting house ... of exceptional quality".<ref name=Country-Life-13-02-1932>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=1, Bedford Square, London, The Residence of Mr G. D. Hobson, M.V.O. |magazine=Country Life |location=London |date=6 February 1932 |page=189}}</ref>  The British Museum's [[British_Museum#Disruption_and_reconstruction_(1925%E2%80%931950)|Duveen Gallery]] was built shortly before the Second World War <ref name=UK-Parliament-The-Parthenon-Sculptures>{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmcumeds/371/0060806.htm |title=Annex IV: The Parthenon Sculptures  |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 2000 |website=www.parliament.uk |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=25 March 2021 |quote=The Duveen Gallery was ... completed in 1938 ...}}</ref> and today its plain brick flank wall is the view from the house rather than the gardens of the museum, which was such an important consideration in Thomas Leverton's original designs for the house.<ref name=Byrne-89/>

==Conservation==
Bedford Square is one of the best preserved set pieces of [[Georgian architecture]] in London, but most of the houses have now been converted into offices.<ref name="Open">{{Cite web |url=http://www.opensquares.org/2018/gardens/Bedford.php |title=Bedford Square |website=www.opensquares.org |access-date=26 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127022646/http://www.opensquares.org/2018/gardens/Bedford.php |archive-date=27 November 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Numbers 1–10,<ref name="1/10" /> 11,<ref>{{NHLE|num=1272315|desc=Number 11 and Attached Railings|access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref> 12–27,<ref>{{NHLE|num=1244546|desc=Numbers 12-27 and Attached Railings|access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref> 28–38<ref>{{NHLE|num=1244548|desc=Numbers 28-38 and Attached Railings|access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref> and 40–54 are grade I [[listed building]]s.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1244553|desc=Numbers 40-54 and Attached Railings|access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref>

===Garden===
The central garden remains private, but is opened to the public as part of the Open Garden Squares Weekend.<ref name="Open" />
The square is Grade II* listed on the [[Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England|Register of Historic Parks and Gardens]].<ref name=NHLE>{{NHLE|num=1000245|desc=Bedford Square|access-date=19 November 2017|mode=cs2}}</ref>

==Former occupants==
[[Bedford College (London)|Bedford College]], the first place for female higher education in Britain, was originally located in (and named after) Bedford Square (No. 47).

;No. 1
:Sir [[Sir Lyonel Lyde, 1st Baronet|Lyonel Lyde Bt.]], first occupier of the building for ten years until his death in 1791<ref name="1/10">{{National Heritage List for England|num=1272304|desc=Nos 1 to 10 and attached railings|access-date=25 November 2018}}</ref>
;No. 4
:[[Paul Weidlinger]], structural engineer<ref>{{cite web|last1=Weidlinger|first1=Tom|title=Beauty, art and the shape of things to come|url=http://restlesshungarian.com/beauty-art-and-the-shape-of-things-to-come/|website=restlesshungarian.com|access-date=10 March 2018}}</ref>
;No. 6
:[[John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon|Lord Eldon]], Lord Chancellor<ref name=six/>
;No. 8
:[[Frederick Warne]] & [[Norman Warne]], publishers, of [[Frederick Warne & Co]]., who published the [[Beatrix Potter]] books<ref>{{cite DNB12|first=William Benjamin|last=Owen|wstitle=Warne, Frederick|volume=3|pages=594–595}}</ref>
;No. 10
:Samuel Lyde (brother of Sir Lyonel at No. 1)<ref name="1/10"/>
:[[Charles Gilpin (politician)|Charles Gilpin]], MP<ref>10, Bedford Square is the address of his letter to the Editor of ''The Times'', Tuesday, 26 October 1858; p. 4; Issue 23134; col E. Letters before that date are from 5, Bishopsgate without.</ref>
;No. 11
:[[Henry Cavendish]], scientist<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/cavendish-henry-1731-1810|title=Cavendish, Henry (1731-1810)|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 13
:[[Harry Ricardo]], engine designer, born at the house<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/ricardo-sir-harry-1885-1974|title=Ricardo, Sir Harry (1885-1974)|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 19
:[[New College of the Humanities at Northeastern|New College of the Humanities]], higher education institution founded by [[A. C. Grayling|A.C. Grayling]] - 2012 to 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nchlondon.ac.uk/2020/10/13/new-campus-2021-2/|title=New College of the Humanities to expand with new central London campus in 2021|date=13 October 2020|publisher= New College of the Humanities|access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref>
;No. 22
:[[Johnston Forbes-Robertson]], actor<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/johnston-forbes-robertson-black-plaque-in-london-1087|title= Johnston Forbes-Robertson black plaque in London|publisher=Blue plaques|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 26
:[[National Council for Voluntary Organisations]], 1928 – 1992<ref>{{cite web |url= http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/59013f44-fd4a-4950-b968-958ccce46c70 |title= National Council for Voluntary Organisations |publisher= National Archives |access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 30
:[[Jonathan Cape]], publishing company<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.harringtonbooks.co.uk/pages/books/44309/michael-howard/jonathan-cape-publisher |title= Jonathan Cape – |publisher= Harrington Books |access-date= 18 July 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180719233852/https://www.harringtonbooks.co.uk/pages/books/44309/michael-howard/jonathan-cape-publisher |archive-date= 19 July 2018 |url-status= dead }}</ref>
;No. 35
:[[Thomas Hodgkin]], physician, reformer and philanthropist<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/hodgkin-thomas-1798-1866 |title=Hodgkin, Thomas (1798-1866) |publisher=English Heritage |access-date= 18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 35
:[[Thomas Wakley]], founder of ''[[The Lancet]]''<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/wakley-thomas-1795-1862|title=Wakely, Thomas (1795-1862)|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 36
:[[Thomas Wilkinson King]], pathologist<ref>{{cite journal|title=Dr. T. W. King (1809–47)|date=15 March 1947|volume=159|issue=4037|page=365|doi=10.1038/159365a0|journal=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]|doi-access=free}}</ref>
;No. 41:
:[[William Butterfield]], architect<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/butterfield-william-1814-1900|title=Butterfield, William (1814-1900)|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
:Sir [[Anthony Hope Hawkins]], novelist<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/hawkins-sir-anthony-hope-1863-1933-a.k.a.-anthony-hope|title=Hawkins, Anthony Hope (1863-1933)|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 44:
:[[Lady Ottoline Morrell|Ottoline Morrell]], socialite<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openplaques.org/plaques/1089|title= Lady Ottoline Morrell|publisher=Open Plaques|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
:[[Margot Asquith]], wife of the Prime Minister [[H. H. Asquith]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.richardfordmanuscripts.co.uk/keywords/asquith|title=Margot Asquith, socialite and author, wife of Liberal Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. Autograph Note Signed ('Margot Oxford') acknowledging receipt of a letter and a book |publisher=Richard Ford Manuscripts|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 48
:[[Elizabeth Jesser Reid]], anti-slavery activist and founder of [[Bedford College for Women]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/elizabeth-jesser-reid-green-plaque-in-london-1376|title=Elizabeth Jesser Reid|publisher=Blue Plaques|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 49
:[[Francis Walker (entomologist)|Francis Walker]], entomologist; before that [[Ram Mohan Roy]], Indian scholar and reformer<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=QrRMAAAAYAAJ&q=Francis+Walker+Bedford+Square&pg=PA143|title= The Annals and Magazine of Natural History |access-date=18 July 2018|page=143|volume=18|year= 1846 }}</ref>
;No. 52
:Used as the contestants' house in the [[The Apprentice (British series 6)|2010 series]] of ''[[The Apprentice (British TV series)|The Apprentice]]''<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.urban75.org/london/bedford-square-london-snow-scenes.html|title=Bedford Square|publisher=Urban75|access-date=18 July 2018}}</ref>
;No. 53
:[[Haydn Brown]], surgeon and psychotherapist<ref>[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34583/page/8267/data.pdf "Haydn Brown, Deceased"]. The London Gazette (December 27, 1938). p. 8267</ref><ref>[https://www.ukwhoswho.com/newsitem/228/who-was-who-in-bedford-square- "Who Was Who in Bedford Square?"]. Ukwhoswho.com. Retrieved 9 September 2021.</ref>

==See also==
Other squares on the [[Bedford Estate]] in Bloomsbury included:
*[[Bloomsbury Square]]
*[[Gordon Square]]
*[[Russell Square]]
*[[Tavistock Square]]
*[[Torrington Square]]
*[[Woburn Square]]
*[[List of eponymous roads in London]]
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
 
==External links==
{{cc}}
*[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=74299#p9 Bedford Square, discussed in ''Survey of London'', Riley & Gomme, 1914]

==Blue plaques==
A number of houses have [[blue plaque]]s recording famous residents:
 
<gallery>
Image:Blue plaque Harry Ricardo.jpg|Harry Ricardo
Image:Blue plaque Thomas Hodgkin.jpg|Thomas Hodgkin
Image:Blue plaque Thomas Wakley.jpg|Thomas Wakley
Image:Blue plaque Anthony Hope Hawkins.jpg|Anthony Hope Hawkins
Image:Blue plaque William Butterfield.jpg|William Butterfield
Image:Green plaque Elizabeth Jesser Reid.jpg|Elizabeth Jesser Reid
Image:Blue plaque Ram Mohan Roy.jpg|Ram Mohan Roy
Image:Blue plaque Lord Eldon.jpg|Lord Eldon
</gallery>
 
{{Bloomsbury}}
{{Coord|51|31|08.08|N|00|07|48.39|W|type:landmark_scale:3000|display=title}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070313131758/http://blue.plaquemap.com/ Plaquemap.com London blue plaque scheme] &mdash; For exact location of these plaques within the square.

[[Category:Squares in the London Borough of Camden]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in the London Borough of Camden]]
[[Category:Grade I listed residential buildings]]
[[Category:Georgian architecture in the London Borough of Camden]]
[[Category:Residential buildings completed in 1783]]
[[Category:Bloomsbury]]
[[Category:Bedford Estate]]
[[Category:Grade II* listed parks and gardens in London]]
[[Category:Garden squares in London]]
[[Category:Communal gardens]]
[[Category:Bloomsbury Group locations]]