Leicester Square

Antiques from London on eBay

ANTIQUE LONDON ENGLAND MAP POPULATION DENSITY Rare NR
18 Dec 2006 at 7:44am
US $9.99
End Date: Friday Jul-30-2010 6:49:01 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $9.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list
LORD BYRON, THE WORKS, MURRAY LONDON 1832-33 17 VOLUMES
30 Jun 2010 at 7:05am
US $1,299.00
End Date: Friday Jul-30-2010 5:05:22 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $1,299.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of London with this look at Leicester Square:

Leicester Square, at first known as Leicester Fields, is associated with the Sidneys, Earls of Leicester, who had a town-house on the north side, where the Empire Music-hall is now (1903).

This was a large brick building, with a courtyard before it and a Dutch garden at the back.

During the reign of Charles I and in the time of the Commonwealth the Sidneys tenanted it, but later it was occupied by foreign Ambassadors.

Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia, took it in 1662, and afterwards it was aptly described by Pennant as "the pouting-place of Princes"; for George, son of George I, established here a rival Court when he had quarrelled with his father, and his son Frederick, the Prince of Wales, did precisely the same thing.

During the latter tenancy a large building adjoining, called Savile or Ailesbury House, was amalgamated with Leicester House.

George III was living here when hailed King.

Savile House stood until the Gordon Riots, when it was completely stripped and gutted by the rioters.

The square was presented to the public in 1874 by Baron Albert Grant, M.P. The gift is recorded on the pedestal of the statue of Shakespeare standing in the centre.

The square was for long a favourite place for duels.

A line drawn diagonally from the north-east to the south-west corner roughly indicates the boundary of St Martin's parish, the upper half of the square being in St. Anne's, Soho.

Next: Leicester Square: Sir Isaac Newton