Eldon Square - King George V Memorial Gardens

A Brief History of Eldon Square

It is a familiar part of Reading’s townscape to many of us but to understand its architectural significance we need to look at the history of the Georgian square on which it was modelled.

The Georgian square is an integral part of London’s architecture, where there are around 600 of them in all shapes and sizes. By contrast, Bristol has twenty and Newcastle five.

The very first London Square to be built was Covent Garden Piazza. It was designed by Inigo Jones and constructed in 1631. It was an entirely urban space but the English desire to bring the countryside into the town soon lead to a new model.

In the early 1660s the Earl of Southampton laid out a forecourt to his London residence in Bloomsbury. It was a simple grass space crossed by paths and became known as ‘The Square’. The land on the other three sides was leased as building plots for houses of an appropriate size and character.

Bloomsbury Square set the precedent for many later developments and by the late 18th century the square had been perfected with their symmetrical style, outer belt of trees and shrubs, inner circular walk and central grassed area. Landowners realised that a communal central garden created a better living environment for residents and enhanced the value of surrounding properties.

William Wilson Morley originally owned the land that Eldon Square now occupies. He was so impressed by the elegance of Georgian squares he decided to bring one to Reading. He created the central garden and divided the surrounding land into plots that were sold as building plots for houses of an appropriate size and character.

The squares built during the successive reigns of George II and his grandson George III (1727 to 1820) are referred to as Georgian Squares. Even though Eldon Square was developed between 1835 and 1840 it is referred to as a Georgian style square.

In 1843 Thomas Lawrence bought the Gardens and their now Grade II listed walls and railings. The railings have the letters "PBE" cast on them, and it has been suggested that Barrett and Exall at their Reading Ironworks in Katesgrove Lane may have made them. No one has suggested what the "P" stands for, though, if "BE" is Barrett and Exall, what do you think?

On 9th September 1944 the Gardens were purchased by the then Corporation of Reading and converted into a ‘garden of ease’ for all of Reading’s residents in memory of King George V.

The statue in the gardens is of Rufus Daniel Isaacs, who was the 1st Marquess of Reading and a Viceroy of India. It was carved by Charles Sargeant Jagger, and set up in New Delhi. In the late 1960s it was moved to Reading and in 1971 unveiled in the gardens.

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	Eldon Square Consultation Results	Results of the Eldon Square Consultation can be viewed here