Bedford Square

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Run by the Bedford Estate, Bedford Square is London's only remaining complete Georgian square.

The Duke of Bedford conceived the scheme for laying out residences in a square, surrounding private gardens for the use of the residents. Bedford Square was one of the first of these Georgian squares, completed in 1780. The gardens remain private to this day.

Until 1893, the route through into Bloomsbury was barred by gates on Oxford Street and Euston Road to everyone bar residents or those with legitimate business in the area.

The Square has 8 'Blue Plaques' (the UK's symbol that a building is linked to someone or something of note). One of Bedford Square's plaques at No.47 shows that the house was the site on which Bedford College was founded by Elizabeth Jesser Reid. An anti-slavery activist, she was also a firm believer in better education for women. Bedford College for women was founded to achieve this aim. Eventually, the college merged with Royal Holloway and became known as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC, part of the University of London). The merged college occupies the Victorian neo-Gothic site of Royal Holloway in Egham, Surrey. Bedford College educated the first ever female barrister, who graduated in 1857.

Please click on the thumbnail panorama below to view the full screen virtual tour.