Red Lion Square

Red Lion Square is a small garden square in Holborn, central London, in the borough of Camden. It dates from the 1680s and is tied to a developer's building scheme, a local legend about the English Civil War, and a century of political and intellectual life.

How did Red Lion Square begin?

The square was laid out in 1684 by Nicholas Barbon, one of the best-known property developers of Restoration London. It takes its name from the Red Lion Inn, which stood in the area. Barbon's building work did not go smoothly. Lawyers from nearby Gray's Inn opposed the development, which edged onto land they treated as their own outlook. Accounts describe workmen and lawyers clashing on the site, with bricks thrown in the dispute. The details vary from one retelling to another, but the story is a lasting part of the square's folklore.

Are the regicides buried here?

Some sources say the bodies of three regicides, Oliver Cromwell, John Bradshaw and Henry Ireton, were placed in a pit on the site of the square. The three were exhumed after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and their remains were treated as those of traitors. The claim about this particular spot is disputed, and other accounts place the burial elsewhere. It is best treated as a local tradition rather than established fact.

What is Conway Hall?

On the square stands Conway Hall, opened in 1929 and owned by the Conway Hall Ethical Society. It is named after Moncure Daniel Conway (1832-1907), an anti-slavery campaigner. The hall has long been a venue for lectures, debates, concerts and public meetings.

The building also has a darker chapter. On 15 June 1974 a National Front meeting held there led to a protest by anti-fascist groups. The disorder and police action that followed left a student, Kevin Gately of the University of Warwick, dead.

What can you see in the square today?

The gardens at the centre are a quiet pause between the offices and institutions of Holborn. Among the square's present-day occupants is the Royal College of Anaesthetists. Two monuments are linked to the square's radical, pacifist and humanist associations. A bust of the philosopher Bertrand Russell stands here. The centrepiece is a statue of Fenner Brockway, a British anti-war activist.

Tips for visitors

• The square is small, so a visit takes a few minutes. It fits well into a walk through Holborn and Bloomsbury.
• Check the events listed by Conway Hall if you would like to see the interior, since access depends on what is being held there.
• Look at the surrounding facades and think of Barbon's 1684 plan, which set out the square's layout.
• The square is also a convenient place to sit down between visits to nearby sights.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Red Lion Square? It was laid out in 1684 by the developer Nicholas Barbon.

Where does the name come from? It comes from the Red Lion Inn that stood in the area.

Is it true that Cromwell was buried here? Some sources say the bodies of Cromwell, Bradshaw and Ireton were placed in a pit on this site, but the claim is disputed.

What is the most important building on the square? Conway Hall, opened in 1929, home of the Conway Hall Ethical Society.

Whose monuments stand in the square? A bust of Bertrand Russell and a statue of Fenner Brockway.