Squares have long been a feature of London.
A few, such as Trafalgar Square, were built as public open spaces, like the squares found in many cities, known as a plaza, piazza, platz, etc. Most, however, were garden squares, originally built as private communal gardens for use by the inhabitants of the surrounding houses. 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, for example around Notting Hill, are still fenced and private.
Name and shape
"Square" is a generic term for these urban open spaces; some are not actually square, or even rectangular. One reason for this is the use of a local nickname for the street, park or garden in question. Another is that some older squares were irregularly shaped to begin with, or lost their original layout due to the city's many transformations, 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. Billiter Square, EC3 and Millennium Square, SE1 are examples of squares which do not satisfy these guidelines.
Some are entirely paved (Granary Square), while others are almost completely grass and trees (Russell Square). Some have the word "square" in their name, while others do not. Increasingly, spaces are being constructed that are legally private, although in practice open to the public (Paternoster Square). At the other extreme, London's growth over the centuries has encompassed several village greens such as Newington Green, which serve as council-run open spaces in the midst of dense housing. This category of urban green space then begins to shade in to the parks for which London is justly famous.
The making of residential squares fell into decline in the early 20th century, one of the last notable such squares having been designed by Edwin Lutyens for Hampstead Garden Suburb. Numerous squares were in danger of being used as building sites. This was banned by the London Squares Act of 1931. But in the last quarter of the 20th 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.
Since 1998, numerous squares and other private gardens have been open to the paying public due to an initiative by Caroline Aldiss. This is called the "London open Garden Square Weekend" and takes place on the second weekend in June. The event is organised by the London Parks and Garden Trust and run mainly by volunteers. In 2013, more than 200 gardens take place. Among others, the Garden of the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street, Eaton Square and the Gardens of HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs. Other events are organised to coincide with this weekend, for example, the "World Archaeology Festival" run by the Institute of Archaeology, UCL, in Gordon Square.
The parks can be split into garden squares and other squares.
Grosvenor Square
Russell Square
Belgrave Square
Berkeley Square
Kensington Square
Golden Square
Soho Square
Bedford Square
Sloane Square
St. James's Square
Clapton Square
St George's Square
Squares as landmarks
Trafalgar Square
Leicester Square
Parliament Square
Claremont Square
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
Myddelton - 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 northwest
Canonbury - N1
Union - N1
Packington - N1
Red House - N1
Arlington - N1
Claremont - N1
Hoxton - N1
Charles
Uhura - N16
Euston - NW1
Torrington - (No. 1)
Woburn
Triton
Munster - NW1
Russell
Bedford
Fitzroy
Muncaster
Park E & W - NW1
Cavendish
Manchester
Dorset - NW1
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 southwest
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
Craven Hill Gardens - W2
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, SE5
Rust - Camberwell, SE5
Foxley - Battersea/Lambeth, SW9
Nightingale - Balham, SW12
Lorrimore
Flat Iron, SE1
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 Square, Hammersmith, (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 southwest
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 southeast
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
The Gardens - Dulwich, SE22
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
Albion
Christina
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 northwest
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)
