Dorset Square

Dorset Square is a garden square in Marylebone, London. All buildings fronting it are terraced houses and listed, in the mainstream (initial) category. It takes up the site of Lord's (MCC's) Old Cricket Ground, which lasted 23 years until the 1811 season. Internally it spans 100,000 square feet (9,290 m²).

Location

Approach ways

It is one 84-metre block north of

• to the west Melcombe Place which behind the square's largest house/building (№s 26 to 28, known as 28) to the west fronts the ticket hall (with food, drink and supermarket outlets) of Marylebone station (formerly Harewood Square) and the Landmark Hotel.
• to the east Melcombe Street (formerly New Street) which ends two main blocks away at Baker Street.

Site history

Dorset Square takes up (1787-founded) Lord's Old Ground the closure of which at the end of 1810's season was brought about by a sought rent increase.^[1]

Buildings

The buildings are 250 feet (76 m) or 400 feet (120 m) apart (north-to-south, east-to-west).

Dorset Square Hotel, created in 1985, can be found on the south side of the square, at 39-40 Dorset Square ^[2]

All sides (east, No.s1-8; north No.s9-20; west No.s21-28; south No.s29-40) are Grade II

• George Saxby Penfold (1770–1846), a popular preacher, lived at № 15^[5]
• Robert Fellowes (1771–1847), cleric, journalist and philanthropist
• Thomas Duer Broughton (1778–1835), army officer and writer on India
• Jeanette Pickersgill (c1814-1885), the first person to be legally cremated in the UK
• George Grossmith (1847–1912), comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer (№ 28)^[6]
• Bithia Mary Croker (c. 1848–1920), Irish-born novelist, died at № 30.
• Sir Laurence Gomme (1853–1916), folklorist (№ 24)
• Dodie Smith (1896–1990), novelist and playwright (№ 18)
• Jane Ridley (born 1953), historian, biographer and broadcaster (№ 31)^[7]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dorset Square, London.

51°31′22″N 0°09′40″W / 51.5228°N 0.1610°W / 51.5228; -0.1610