Soho Square

Soho Square is a square in Soho, London, England , with a park and garden area at its centre that dates back to 1681. It was originally called King Square after Charles II, whose statue stands in the square. At the centre of the garden, there is a distinctive half-timbered gardener's hut. During the summer, it hosts open-air free concerts. Soho Square is often synonymous with the Football Association, as they are located here.

Details

The Soho Square neighborhood is universally regarded as the most prestigious (and expensive) address of London media organisations, Soho Square is home to several leading film, television and sport organisations that include the British Board of Film Classification, the Football Association, 20th Century Fox, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, International Creative Management, Paul McCartney (MPL),Relevant Picture Company, Tiger Aspect Productions, Allsop, Evolutions Television and the Really Useful Group. The area also features many businesses (including Expedia.com), clubs, and bars, as well as two churches. St. Patrick's Church is a very large Roman Catholic Parish Church that features extensive catacombs (that spread deep under the Square and further afield). Also, directly underneath the Square's garden is a large sub-station.

Built in the late 1670s, Soho Square was in its early years one of the most fashionable places to live in London. It was originally called King's Square, for King Charles II. A statue of Charles II was carved by Danish sculptor Caius Gabriel Cibber in 1681 and placed at the center of the Square. By the early 19th century, the statue was described as being 'in a most wretched mutilated state; and the inscriptions on the base of the pedestal quite illegible'. [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41027&strquery=Cibber "Soho Square Area: Portland Estate: Soho Square Garden"] in "Survey of London" volumes 33 and 34 (1966) St Anne Soho, pp. 51-53. Date accessed: 12 January 2008.] In 1875, it was removed during alterations in the square by T. Blackwell, of Crosse and Blackwell, the venerable jam firm, who gave it for safekeeping to his friend, artist Frederick Goodall, with the intention that it might be restored. Goodall placed the statue on an island in his lake at Grim's Dyke, where it remained when dramatist W. S. Gilbert purchased the property in 1890, and there it stayed after Gilbert's death in 1911. In her will, Lady Gilbert directed that the statue be returned, and it was restored to Soho Square in 1938. [ [http://www.londonremembers.com/memorial/?id=216 Photo of the statue] ]

Two of the original houses, nos. 10 and 15, still stand. At nos. 8 and 9 is the French Protestant Church, built in 1891-3.

In 2006, Soho Square was a popular hangout location for London's scene and emo youth, probably due to the proximity of the Astoria music venue.

Immortalisation in song

Kirsty MacColl memorial bench in Soho Square; A close-up of the engraved lyrics

The Soho Square garden contains a bench that commemorates the late singer Kirsty MacColl, who wrote the song "Soho Square" for her album "Titanic Days". After her untimely death in 2000, fans bought a memorial bench in her honour, inscribing the lyrics: "One day I'll be waiting there / No empty bench in Soho Square". [http://kirstymaccoll.com/information/memorial/bench/index.htm]

Nearest tube station

* Tottenham Court Road tube station

Notes

Nearby places

* Oxford Street, to the North
* Charing Cross Road, to the East
* Greek Street, to the South

External links

* [http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/phototour2.html Pictures of Soho Square]
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp?pubid=295 Soho Square in the Survey of London]