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
Marylebone Road and lends its name to the roads on all four sides, in typical fashion — the east side forms a pause in the numbering and scope of
Gloucester Place; the west does so as to
Balcombe Street. The south side links:
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
listed buildings.[3] The
Embassy of El Salvador is at No. 8. No. 1 currently houses the London branch of
Alliance Française but during
WWII functioned as its international headquarters when the original in
Paris was closed.[4] A plaque by the front door commemorates the building's history as the site from which agents of the
French Resistance were equipped for, and dispatched to, undercover missions in
Occupied France.