Russell Square is very little inferior to Lincoln's Inn Fields in size, and at the time of its building had a magnificent situation, with an uninterrupted prospect right up to the hills of Hampstead and Highgate, and the only house then standing was on the east side; it belonged to the profligate Lord Baltimore, and was later occupied by the Duke of Bolton. The new Russell Hotel, at the corner of Guilford Street, and Pitman's School of Shorthand, in the south-eastern corner, are the only two buildings to note. A bronze statue of Francis, Duke of Bedford, executed by Westmacott, stands on the south side of the Square; this faces a similar statue of Fox in Bloomsbury Square.
The Square seems to have been peculiarly attractive to men high up in the profession of the law. Sir Samuel Romilly, the great law reformer, lived here until his sad death in 1818; he committed suicide in grief at the loss of his wife. In the same year his neighbour Charles Abbot, afterwards first Baron Tenterden, was made Lord Chief Justice. He was buried at the Foundling Hospital by his own request. In 1793 Alexander Wedderburn (first Baron Loughborough and first Earl of Rosslyn), also a resident in the Square, was appointed Lord Chancellor. After this he probably moved to the official residence in Bedford Square.
Frederick D. Maurice was at No. 5 from 1856 to 1862. Sir Thomas Lawrence lived for twenty years at No. 65, and while he was executing the portrait of Platoff, the Russian General, the Cossacks, mounted on small white horses, stood on guard in the Square before his door.
Bloomsbury Square was at first called Southampton Square, and the sides were known by different names—Seymour Row, Vernon Street, and Allington Row. The north side was occupied by Bedford House. It is considerably older than its large neighbour on the north, and is mentioned by Evelyn in his Diary, on February 9, 1665. In Queen Anne's reign it was a most fashionable locality. The houses suffered greatly during the Gordon Riots, especially Lord Mansfield's house, in the north-east corner, which was completely ruined internally, and in which a most valuable library was destroyed, while Lord and Lady Mansfield made their escape from the mob by a back-door. Pope refers to the Square as a fashionable place of resort. Among the names of famous residents we have Sir Richard Steele, Richard Baxter, the Nonconformist divine, Dr. Akenside, and Sir Hans Sloane. The elder D'Israeli, who compiled "Curiosities of Literature," lived in No. 6; he came here in 1818, when his famous son was a boy of fourteen.
The College of Preceptors stands on the south side. The Pharmaceutical Society, established in 1841, first took a house in the Square in that year. It was incorporated by royal charter two years later, and in 1857 the two adjacent houses in Great Russell Street were added to the premises, which include a library and museum. There is also at No. 30 the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and Ireland.
In Southampton Street Colley Cibber, the dramatist and actor, was born.
Silver Street, which is connected with Southampton Street by a covered entry, is described by Strype as "indifferent well built and inhabited"—a character it apparently keeps up to this day.
Bloomsbury Market Strype describes as "a long place with two market-houses, the one for flesh and the other for fish, but of small account by reason the market is of so little use and so ill served with provisions, insomuch that the inhabitants deal elsewhere." In Parton's time it was still extant, "exhibiting little of that bustle and business which distinguishes similar establishments." Though it was cleared away in 1847, its site is marked by Market Street, which with Silver and Bloomsbury Streets forms a cross.
Southampton Row is a very long street, extending from Russell Square to High Holborn. It includes what was formerly King Street and Upper King Street, which together reached from High Holborn to Bloomsbury Place. Gray, the poet, lodged in this Row in 1759.
The Church of St. George is in Hart Street. St. George's parish was formed from St. Giles's on account of the great increase of buildings in this district. In 1710 the proposal for a new church was first mooted, and in 1724 the parishes were officially separated. The church stands on a piece of ground formerly known as Plough Yard. It is the work of Hawkesmoor, Wren's pupil, and was consecrated in 1730. It cannot be better described than in the words of Noorthouck: "This is an irregular and oddly constructed church; the portico stands on the south side, of the Corinthian order, and makes a good figure in the street, but has no affinity to the church, which is very heavy, and would be better suited with a Tuscan portico. The steeple at the west is a very extraordinary structure; on a round pedestal at the top of a pyramid is placed a colossal statue of the late King [George I.], and at the corners near the base are alternately placed the lion and unicorn, the British supporters, with festoons between. These animals, being very large, are injudiciously placed over columns very small, which make them appear monsters." The lions and unicorns have now been removed. This steeple has been described by Horace Walpole as a masterpiece of absurdity. Within, the walls rise right up to the roof with no break, and give an impression of great spaciousness. There is a small chapel on either side, that on the east, of an apselike shape, being used as a baptistery. The western one contains a ponderous monument erected in memory of one of their officials by the East India Company. There are other monuments in the church, but none of any general interest. The Communion-table is enclosed by a wooden canopy with fluted columns, said to be of Italian origin, and to have been brought from old Montague House.