Squares in London
London has had a long history with squares. Of London's squares, a few, such as Trafalgar Square, were built as public open spaces, like the city squares found in many cities, but most of them originally contained private communal gardens for use by the inhabitants of the surrounding houses (these are sometimes known as garden squares). This type of space is most prevalent in central London, but squares are also found in the suburbs. Some of these gardens are now open to the public, while others are still private. "Square" is a generic term for such spaces and a common road name and, in both cases, some are not actually square, or even rectangular. This is explained by two factors:
First, some communal garden spaces are officially squares, while others may locally be referred to as a "square" or "the square" but this is not the official name of a street, park or gardens.
Second, some older squares were either not square to begin with or have lost their original layout due to the many transformations of London not least following the Great Fire of London and The Blitz. Each London Borough has rules which have been drawn up prevent inappropriate street names being used to designate new developments or to rename existing features - the general requirement for new squares in London is that they be rectangular and be to some extent open.[1]. Billiter Square, EC3 and Millennium Square, SE1 are examples of squares which do not satisfy these guidelines.
The making of residential squares fell into decline in the early twentieth century, one of the last notable such squares was designed by Edwin Lutyens for Hampstead Garden Suburb. But in the last quarter of the twentieth century a fashion for making office squares developed. This trend was led by the Broadgate development. The new London Square development indicates a minor revival in the development of new wholly residential squares. However, as a mixed-use focal area squares have become a resurgent planning design, this is reflected for instance by Times Square, Sutton or Canada Square in Canary Wharf.
The parks can be split according to garden squares and other squares.
Notable Garden squares
- Grosvenor Square
- Russell Square
- Belgrave Square
- Berkeley Square
- Golden Square
- Soho Square
- Bedford Square
- Sloane Square
- St. James's Square
- Clapton Square
Squares as landmarks
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- Trafalgar Square
- Leicester Square
- Covent Garden (this qualifies as a square in the broader sense - communal area)
- Parliament Square
Other squares
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List of Greater London Squares
![]() | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
City (EC)
- Warwick - EC4, (No. 1)
- Exchange - EC2
- Austin Friars - EC2
- Monkwell - EC2
- Finsbury - EC2
- Finsbury Avenue - EC2
- Paternoster - EC4
- Billiter - EC3
- Ludgate - EC4
- Reliance - EC2
- Mark - EC2
- New Inn - EC2
- Trinity - EC3
- Brewery - EC1, (No. 1)
- Rosebery - EC1, (No. 1)
- Cold Bath - EC1
- St John’s - EC1
- Myddleton - EC1
- America - EC4
- Angel - EC1
- Aldermanbury - EC2
- Salisbury - EC4
- New St - EC4
- Gough - EC4
- Waterhouse - EC1
- King - EC1
- Northampton - EC1
- Charterhouse - EC1
- Bartholomew - EC1 (No. 1)
- Bridgewater - EC2
City (WC)
- Queen - WC1
- New - WC2, (No. 1)
- Red Lion - WC1 (No. 1)
- Gray’s Inn - WC1
- South - WC1 (No. 1)
- Bloomsbury - WC1
- Regent - WC1 (No. 1)
- Fleet - WC1
- Mecklenburgh - WC1
- Granville - WC1, (No. 1)
- Wilmington - WC1
- Lloyd - WC1
- Brunswick - WC1, (No. 1)
- Tavistock - WC1
- Gordon - WC1
- Wells - WC1
- Argyle - WC1
Near Central: North and North West
- Red House - N1
- Arlington - N1
- Claremont - N1
- Hoxton - N1
- Charles
- Uhura - N16
- Euston - NW1
- Torrington - (No. 1)
- Woburn
- Triton
- Munster - NW1
- Russell
- Bedford
- Fitzroy Square
- Muncaster
- Park E & W - NW1
- Cavendish
- Manchester
- Dorset
- Portman
- Montagu
- Bryanston
- Northpoint - NW1
- Cloudesley - N1
- John Spencer - N1
- De Beauvoir - N1
- Old Royal Free - N1
- Lonsdale
- Gibson
- Milner
- Barnsbury - Islington, N1
- Alwyne
- Anderson
- Thornhill
- Edward
- Tolmers
- Chalcot - NW1
- Oakley - NW1
- Harrington - NW1
- Ampthill - NW1
- Harmsworth
- Hammond
- Beavoir
- Wilton
- St Mark’s - NW1
- South - NW11, (No. 2)
- North - NW11, (No. 1)
- Pond
- Camden
- Lucas
Near Central: West and South West
- Audley
- Berkeley
- Grosvenor
- Belgrave
- Parliament
- Smith
- St Georges - Pimlico, SW1, (No. 1)
- Warwick - SW1, (No. 2)
- Fountain
- Vincent
- Lindsay SW1
- Dolphin - SW1, (No. 1)
- Victoria - SW1
- Eccelston
- Chester
- Ebury - SW1
- Eaton - SW1
- Cleveland
- Lowndes - SW1
- Montepelier
- Trevor
- Brompton
- Thurloe
- Rose - Brompton, SW7
- Hereford
- Onslow
- Adam
- Commodore - West Brompton/ Chelsea, SW10
- Admiral - SW10
- Coleridge - SW10, (No. 1)
- Alexander
- Ovington
- Wellington - SW3
- Chelsea
- Mozart
- Carlyle
- Tedworth
- Cadogan - SW1
- Markham
- Sloane
- Duke of York
- Chesterton
- Paultons - Chelsea, SW3
- St Mary’s - W2, (No.1)
- Oxford - W2
- Sheldon - W2
- St Mary’s - W6, (No.2)
- Lancer - Kensington, W8
- Chantry - Kensington, W8
Near Central: South
- Bergen - Bermondsey, SE16
- Bermondsey - Bermondsey, SE16
- Reveley - Bermondsey, SE16
- Greenacre
- Millstream
- Helsinki
- Tillett
- Thorburn
- Layard - Bermondsey, SE16
- Frederick - Bermondsey, SE16
- New Place
- Millennium
- Tower Bridge
- Tower Bridge Business
- Marden
- Lockwood
- St Olav’s
- Providence
- Fountain Gate
- Cleaver
- Graphite
- Brewery - SE1, (No. 2)
- Avondale - SE1
- Salamanca - SE1
- Great Guildford Business
- Winchester
- Gatehouse
- Perkins
- Nelson
- Cornwall - Kennington, SW11
- John Parker - Kennington, SW11
- Cobalt - Vauxhall, SW8
- St Philip - Battersea, SW8
- Surrey - SE1
- West
- Walcot
- St Georges - Rotherhithe, SE8 (No. 2)
- Trinity Church - SE1
- Albert - SW8, (No. 1)
- Peabody - SE1
- Westminster Business - SE11
- Sutherland - Camberwell, SE17
- Montague
- Peckham - Peckham, SE15
- Granville - Peckham, SE15
- Yarnfield - Peckham, SE15
- Choumert - Peckham, SE15
- Vivian - Peckham, SE15
- Galatea - Peckham, SE15
- Huguenot - Peckham, SE15
- Shard's - Peckham, SE15
- Dickens
- Merrick
- Hamilton
- Greene
- Helena - Rotherhithe, SE16
- Bonnington - Kennington, SW8
- Addington - Camberwell, SE6
- Rust - Camberwell, SE5
- Foxley - Battersea/Lambeth, SW9
- Nightingale - Balham, SW12
East - within London postal districts
- Chow - E8
- Clapton - E5
- Time - E8
- Lea
- Hornbeam - Clapton, E3
- Grayling - E2
- Lampern
- Tredegar - Bow, E3
- Murray
- Patriot
- Harpley - E1
- Bartholomew - E1, (No. 2)
- Carlton
- Thomas More
- Beaumont - Stepney, E1
- Sidney - Stepney, E1
- Petticoat - Aldgate, E1
- Arbour - Stepney, E1
- Avis - Stepney, E1
- Brayford - Stepney, E1
- O’Leary - Stepney, E1
- Douthwaite - Wapping, E1
- Portland - Wapping, E1
- Cork - Wapping, E1
- Wellclose - Wapping, E1
- Rectory - Stepney, E1
- Roy
- York
- Canada
- Cabot
- Cutlers
- St David’s
- Devonshire
- Spital
- Mothers - Lower Clapton/Homerton E5
- Shalborne - Hackney Wick
- Wick - Hackney Wick
- Silk Mills - Hackney Wick
- Leabank - Hackney Wick
- Lavender - E11
- Stonechat - Beckton E6
- Tollgate - Beckton E6
- Goose - Beckton E6
- Partridge - Beckton E6
- Butterfield - Beckton E6
- Royal Victoria - Custom House, E16
- Jessop - Limehouse, E14
- Old School - Limehouse, E14
- Lampern - Bethnal Green, E2
- Old Market - Bethnal Green, E2
- Ambassador - Limehouse, E14
- Aberdeen - Limehouse, E14
- Athol - Limehouse, E14
- St Georges - Limehouse, E14 (No. 3)
- St Georges - Upton, E7 (No. 4)
- Regent - Bow, E3 (No. 2)
- Alphabet
- Invicta
- Guerin
- Heln
- Sheffield - E3
- Trellis - E3
- Brackly
- Wakeling - Limehouse, E14
- Eastbury - Upney
- Maryland - Stratford, E15
- Albert - Stratford, E15, (No. 2)
- Gerry Raffles - Stratford, E15
- Theatre - Stratford, E15, (No. 1)
- Torrens - Stratford, E15
- Lanark - Poplar, E14
- Burrells Wharf - Canary Wharf
- Casablanca
- Capstan
- Cumberland Mills
- Ambassador
- Torres
- Transom - Millwall, E14
- Lank
- Vulcan
- Arnett - Chingford, E4
- Warrior - Manor Park, E12
- St Luke’s - E16
- St Thomas’s - E9
- Goldsmith’s - E2
- Ion - E2
- St Peter’s - E2, (No. 1)
- Evergreen - E8
- Chant - W Ham, E15
- Barnby - W Ham, E16
- Market - Poplar, E14, (No. 1)
- Athoi - Poplar, E14
- Bering - Millwall, E14
- Shaw - Higham Hill, Walthamstow, E17
- St Thomas’s - Hackney, E9
- Fassett - Hackney, E9
- Primrose - Hackney, E9
- Principal - Hackney, E9
- Sutton - Hackney, E9, (No.1)
- The Square - E10, (No. 1)
Further East - still within Greater London
- The Square - Ilford, IG1 (No. 2)
- The Square - Woodford Green, IG8 (No. 3)
- Brandesbury - Ilford, IG8
- Rosebury - Ilford, IG8
- Brackley - Woodford Green, IG6
- Warrington - Becontree, Dagenham, RM8
- Manor - Becontree, Dagenham, RM8
- Noel - Becontree, Dagenham, RM8
- Osborne - Dagenham, RM9
- Hunters - Dagenham, RM9
- Causton - Dagenham, RM9
Further West - still within Greater London
- Hill
- Leinster
- Kensington Gardens
- Coleridge - West Ealing, W13, (No. 2)
- Halliday
- Cubitt
- St Andrews - Ladbroke Grove, W11, No1
- Wesley - Ladbroke Grove, W11,
- Mortimer - Ladbroke Grove, W11
- St Charles - North Kensington, W11
- Wesley - North Kensington, W11
- Colville - North Kensington, W11
- Chelmsford - Kensal Rise, NW4
- Powis - W11
- Orme
- Porchester
- Kensington
- Princes
- Leinster
- Pembridge
- Nottingdale
- Katherine
- Norland
- Campden Hill
- Edwardes
- Wycombe
- Ravenscourt
- St Peter’s - Hammersmith, W6, (No. 2)
- Ashcroft - Hammersmith, W6
- Chiswick
- Westcroft - W6
- Dolphin - Chiswick, W4, (No. 2)
- Essex Place
- The Square - W6, (No. 4)
- Shuters - W14
- Orchard - W14
- Townfield - Hayes, UB3
- Drenon - Hayes, UB3
- Tudor - Hayes, UB3
- Emerald - Southall, UB2
- The Square - Stockley Park, UB6, (No. 5)
- The Square - Longford, UB7, (No. 6)
Further South West
- Earl’s Court Square - SW5
- Redcliffe - SW10
- Nevern
- Franklin
- Lampeter - Earl’s Court, W6
- St Edmunds - Barnes, SW13
- Cardington - Hounslow West, TW4
- Sutton - Heston, TW5, (No. 2)
- Epsom - Heathrow, TW6
- New Chapel - Feltham, TW13
- New - East Bedfont, Feltham, TW14
- Market - Kingston, KT1, (No. 2)
- Rosebery - Kingston, KT1, (No. 2)
- Ernest - Kingston, KT1
- Charter - Kingston, KT1
- Fleetwood - Kingston, KT1
- Waters - Kingston, KT1
- Ashcombe - New Malden, KT3
- Heathfield - Wandsworth, SW18
- Red Lion - Wandsworth, SW18 (No. 2)
- James Clavell - Wandsworth SW18
- Red Lion - Wandsworth SW18, (No. 2)
- Theatre - SW11 Battersea, (No. 2)
- Brassey - SW11 Battersea
- Battersea
- Restoration
- Ivory
- Weekley - Clapham SW4
- Parker - Clapham SW4
- Grafton - Clapham SW4
- Whites - Clapham SW4
- Macaulay - Clapham SW4
- Imperial
- Philpot
- Hurlingham - Fulham, SW6
- Marryat - Fulham, SW6
- Mission - Brentford TW8
- Ferry - Brentford TW8
- Columbia - Mortlake, SW14
- Vine - Mortlake, SW14
- Aubyn - Putney, SW15
- Radcliffe - Putney, SW15
- Chartfield - Putney, SW15
- Tolland - Putney, SW15
- Vanneck - Putney, SW15
- Baringer - Tooting, SW17
- Cheriton - Tooting/Balham, SW17
- Bevin - Tooting/Balham, SW17
- Pavilion - Tooting, SW17
- Belvedere - Wimbledon SW19
- Chapman - Wimbledon SW19, (No. 1)
- St George’s - New Malden, KT3 (Note four St Georges above)
- Castelnau Gardens - Barnes, SW13
- The Square - Richmond, TW9 (No. 7)
- Topiary - Richmond, TW9
- Heron - Richmond, TW9
- King George - Richmond, TW10
- Charlotte - Richmond, TW10
- St Andrew’s - Surbiton, KT6, No2
- St Leonards - Surbiton, KT6
- Upper - Isleworth, TW7
- Lower - Isleworth, TW7
- Memorial - Isleworth, TW7
- Town Sq - Isleworth, TW7
- Sigrist - Kingston, KT1
- Kennet - Wimbledon, SW19
- Factory - Streatham, SW16
Further South East
- Ryculff - Blackheath, SE3
- Collins - Blackheath, SE3
- Tristan - Blackheath, SE3
- Lebrun - Blackheath, SE3
- Gallus - Blackheath, SE3
- Queen’s Elm - Blackheath, SE3
- School - Greenwich, SE10
- Roman - Thamesmead, SE28
- Arpley - Penge, SE20
- Watermen’s - Penge, SE20
- Palace
- Stanton - Lower Sydenham, SE26
- Romero
- Cambert
- Telemann
- Ealdham - Eltham, SE9
- Chiswell
- Brook - Blackheath/Kidbrooke, SE18
- Mortgramit - Woolwich, SE18
- Reginald - Deptford, SE8
- Market - Bromley, BR1, (No. 3)
- St Paul’s - Bromley, BR2
- Oregon - Orpington, BR6
- Corvette - Greenwich, SE10
- Gibbs - Gypsy Hill, West Norwood, SE19
- Kingston - Gypsy Hill, West Norwood, SE19
- Bury - Mottingham, New Eltham and Elmstead, SE9
- Montbelle - Mottingham, New Eltham and Elmstead, SE9
- Beresford - Woolwich, SE18
- Les Smith - Woolwich, SE18
- Old Clem - Woolwich, SE18
- Artillery - Woolwich, SE18
- Peppermead - Ladywell, SE13
- Archer - Deptford, SE14
- Broadway - Bexleyheath, DA6
- Adams - Bexleyheath, DA6
- Regent - Belvedere, DA17
Further North
- Red - N16
- Arundel - N7
- The Market - Edmonton, N9
- North - Edmonton, N9 (No. 2)
- Ardett - Chingford
- Olympus - Clapton
- Topham - Tottenham, N17
- Brunswick - Tottenham, N17 (No. 2)
- Broadfield - Enfield, EN1
- Westbrook - Cockfosters, EN4
- Cornwallis
- Canonbury
- Albion
- Christina
- Packington
- Union
- Schonfeld N16
- Chaplin - N12
Further South
- Whitgift - Croydon, CR0
- The Pavement - Croydon, CR0
- Torrington - Croydon, CR0, (No. 2)
- Rathbone - Croydon, CR0
- Berkshire - Mitcham, CR4
- Charlwood - Mitcham, CR4
- Glebe - Mitcham, CR4
- Bovingdon - Mitcham, CR4
- Appleton - Mitcham, SM3
- Stanley - Carshalton, SM5
- Alexandra - Morden, SM4
- Times - Sutton, SM1
- Wallington - Wallington, SM6
Further North West
- St Leonard’s - NW5
- Seaton - Mill Hill East, NW7
- Sentinel - NW4
- Leys - Finchley
- Central - NW11, (No. 1)
- Belsize
- Blandford
- Hampden
- Rochester
- Elliott
- New End
- The Mount - Highgate, NW3
- Central - Wembley, HA0, (No. 2)
References
- ^ [1]Street Naming and Building Numbering Guide (example from Kensington and Chelsea)
- ^ A public domain map of london and London postal districts on wikipedia