Gordon Square

Gordon Square is a garden square in Bloomsbury, London, in the borough of Camden. It belongs to the University of London and is one of the most literary corners of the city. In the early twentieth century it was home to several people who shaped the famous Bloomsbury Group.

How did Gordon Square come about?

The square was laid out in the 1820s on land belonging to the Dukes of Bedford, part of what is known as the Bedford Estate. The master builder Thomas Cubitt carried out the development, and the square was planned as one of a pair with nearby Tavistock Square. The two have similar dimensions and sit a short walk apart. John Russell, the sixth Duke of Bedford, personally supervised the planting and layout. The name honours his second wife, Lady Georgiana Gordon.

Why is Gordon Square linked to the Bloomsbury Group?

This is what draws most visitors. After their father died in 1904, the Stephen siblings moved into number 46. Virginia Woolf lived there until 1907, while her sister Vanessa stayed on after marrying Clive Bell and remained until 1917. The economist John Maynard Keynes then moved into the house. At number 51, the writer Lytton Strachey lived from 1909 to 1924.

Number 46 is where the "Thursday evenings" began: friends gathered for conversation and music. Regulars included Leonard Woolf, Duncan Grant and Roger Fry. From these gatherings grew a circle of artists, writers and thinkers who left a mark on British culture in the first half of the twentieth century. Keynes's house carries a blue plaque.

Who owns the square today?

The University of London bought Gordon Square, together with neighbouring Woburn Square, in 1951. Many buildings around the square serve academic purposes, and numbers 43 to 46 are occupied by the School of Arts at Birkbeck, University of London. As a result the area feels distinctly academic, with students and university staff making up much of the foot traffic.

What is there to see?

• a well-kept garden square with trees and lawns, good for a short rest in central London,
• Georgian and Victorian townhouses around the square, many marked with plaques for former residents,
• the blue plaque at number 46, connected with Keynes,
• nearby Tavistock Square, easy to combine in the same walk.

Getting there and planning a visit

Gordon Square lies in central London, in Bloomsbury, close to the British Museum and the main university campuses. Its coordinates are roughly 51.5243 N, 0.1309 W. It works best as part of a longer Bloomsbury stroll, looking for the former homes of the group's members.

Frequently asked questions

Is Gordon Square open to the public? It is a public garden square, although it is owned by the university. Check access rules and opening hours before you go.

Who lived on Gordon Square? Virginia Woolf, Vanessa Bell, John Maynard Keynes and Lytton Strachey, all associated with the Bloomsbury Group.

How is Tavistock Square related? It was designed as a pair with Gordon Square, within the same Bedford Estate.