Whilst Georgian Squares are ubiquitous in much of the West End including Bloomsbury and Marylebone, Fitzroy Square is the only Georgian square located in Fitzrovia!
Fitzroy Square was a speculative development by the 1st Baron Southampton in order to provide London homes for aristocratic families and was built in four stages. Fitzroy Square is pedestrianised on three sides with most of the terraced buildings around it enjoying Grade I or Grade II listed status. The square is located south of Euston Road in the heart of Fitzrovia’s creative, media, and technology industries.
The east and south sides of Fitzroy Square are designed by the Adam Brothers in the Georgian style which is typical of that time. Many of these properties are fronted in Portland Stone which was brought in by sea and up the Thames from Dorset. This gives the square a regal and grand feel. In addition, the square has a quiet, almost suburban feel due to the large amount of pedestrianisation on the square – this is despite being located five minutes’ walk away from London Euston which provides transports links to the whole country.
Fitzroy Square was also the home of the London Free School which was a short lived community led adult education project during the 1960s led by beatniks and hippies. Despite not lasting for a significant length of time, the influence of the London Free School was considerable. Underground newspaper International Times, the early development of Pink Floyd, the creation of the UFO Club, and the world renowned Notting Hill Carnival all stemmed from this organisation. The square has another claim to fame as the TARDIS from Doctor Who sits in the Square for the entirety of the Doctor Who series The War Machines which was broadcast in 1966.
Today Fitzroy Square has a diverse range of residential, commercial, and institutional occupiers including the High Commission of Mozambique, the Embassy of Liberia, the headquarters of the Rugby League International Federation, and the home of film director Guy Ritchie. Being the only Georgian square in Fitzrovia – one of the West End’s largest submarkets – Fitzroy Square is an incredibly sought after location for both commercial and residential purposes.