I think its safe to say that Red Lion Square Gardens doesn’t figure on the list of most visited squares in London. That honour normally goes to the more glamorous squares around Mayfair and Westminster.
Which is a shame really, as this square just off Holborn, is a charming little square and a pleasant place to take a stroll.
Wasn’t always calm and relaxed though. (You knew I was going to say that). Back in the 16th century, this is where the bodies of three regicides—those held responsible for the execution of King Charles I – Oliver Cromwell, John Bradshaw and Henry Ireton, were placed in a pit on the site of the square.
It then yo-yoed from being a fashionable square – ‘beautified’ in 1720 – to becoming less than desirable – Anthony Trollope in his novel Orley Farm (1862) humorously reassures his readers that one of his characters is perfectly respectable, despite living in Red Lion Square!
The surrounding houses boast a generous number of Blue Plaques, a sure testament to the square’s fascinating history and the people who lived here.