Woburn Square

Woburn Square is a small garden square in Bloomsbury, central London, and the smallest of the Bloomsbury squares. It belongs to the University of London and sits among university buildings, which gives it the feel of a quiet green pause inside a busy academic district.

What is Woburn Square?

It is a garden square: a planted, enclosed green space surrounded by buildings, a type typical of Georgian and early Victorian London. Today the garden is an elongated, shaded rectangle with a walk running around its perimeter. It is owned by the University of London, which acquired part of the site by 1928.

Who designed it and when was it built?

The square was designed by Thomas Cubitt and built between 1829 and 1847. Its name comes from Woburn Abbey, the main country seat of the Dukes of Bedford. The Dukes developed much of Bloomsbury, and many streets and squares in the area carry names linked to their estates. The land was marshy, and laying out the square was part of improving it for housing.

What did the garden look like in the past?

The garden was originally meant for the private use of householders around it. By 1881 it had lawns, rows of trees along a perimeter path and an oval shrubbery crossing the centre. Maps from 1881, 1894 and 1913 show how the paths and planting changed over time.

Why is the square smaller than it used to be?

Woburn Square once stretched further towards Russell Square. Its size was reduced in the twentieth century. Building work began to encroach on it in 1958 with the Warburg Institute, and in 1972 parts of the north and south sides were demolished to make way for the Institute of Education and SOAS. That is why today it is described as the smallest of the Bloomsbury squares.

What can you see there today?

The garden has a perimeter walk, a children's playground at the southern end and a small shelter in the north. After a restoration lasting about seven years, the gardens reopened in 2007. Among the features is a sculpture called "The Green Man" (1999) by Lydia Kapinska, inspired by Virginia Woolf's novel The Waves, a fitting link for a district long associated with writers and thinkers.

How to visit

The square lies in the heart of Bloomsbury, close to other university squares and buildings, so it works well as a short stop on a walk through the area. Since it is surrounded by university premises, expect a calm, studious atmosphere rather than a tourist attraction with facilities. Check current opening arrangements before you go, as access to university-owned gardens can vary.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns Woburn Square? The University of London.

When was Woburn Square built? Between 1829 and 1847, to a design by Thomas Cubitt.

Where does the name come from? From Woburn Abbey, the country seat of the Dukes of Bedford.

Is it the largest Bloomsbury square? No, it is the smallest of the Bloomsbury squares.

Is there any art in the garden? Yes, the sculpture "The Green Man" by Lydia Kapinska, dating from 1999.

When did it reopen after restoration? In 2007, following a restoration that lasted around seven years.

In short

Woburn Square is a modest but historically layered corner of Bloomsbury: a Cubitt-designed garden square named after a ducal estate, reduced by later university building and restored in the 2000s. It suits visitors who enjoy London's quieter urban green spaces, architecture and literary associations.