| Bloomsbury Square (picture by Peter Watts) |  |
Bloomsbury Square
Bloomsbury Square
Bloomsbury Square is close to the British Museum in the borough of Camden, London. In the gardens of Bloomsbury Square stands a statue of James Charles Fox, a Whig and associate of the Duke of Bedford. This statue, a 3m high bronze on a granite pedastal, was erected in June 1816. J.C.Fox is seated wearing a consular robe with his right hand supporting the Magna Charta.A recent refurbishment project carried out by Camden Council restored the views and link to Russell Square nearby, add new railings and a hornbeam fence along with new paths, park furniture and landscape improvements. These changes restored the square to a layout similar to that proposed by Humphrey Repton in 1806.
Bloomsbury Square has been here since the late 17C, when it was called Southampton Square. It was developed by the 4th Earl of Southampton, who also gave his name to Southampton Row nearby. The Earl had his own house built here, which later passed by marriage to the Bedford Family along with the rest of the Bloomsbury Estate.
Later the square and Bloomsbury as a whole fell out of favour with the upper classes, the Duke of Bedford moved out and his home demolished to make room for terraced housing. Though none of the original 17th century buildings survive, there are buildings from the 18C and early 19C.
Travel Directions and Getting There:
Tube: Holborn (Central, Piccadilly lines), Tottenham Court Road (Central, Northern lines), Russell Square (Piccadilly line).