{{Short description|Garden square in Marylebone, London}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Use British English|date=June 2015}} thumb|Dorset Square

'''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 {{convert|100000|ft2|-1}}.

==Location== thumbnail|The immediate vicinity of Dorset Square. thumb|A map showing the Dorset Square ward of St Marylebone Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916.

==Approach ways== It is one 84-metre (276 ft., approx.) 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 (No.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.<ref name=Independent>The Independent: [https://web.archive.org/web/20140329191305/http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/entertainment/site-unseen-the-first-lords-cricket-ground-dorset-square-london-1339080.html site unseen The first Lord's Cricket Ground, Dorset Square, London - Entertainment - Extras - The Independent], accessdate: 02/09/2014</ref>

==Buildings== [[File:Dorset Square, London 04.JPG|thumb|Dodie Smith blue plaque, 18 Dorset Square]] [[File:Dorset Square, London 02.JPG|thumb|Laurence Gomme blue plaque, 24 Dorset Square]] The buildings are {{convert|250|ft}} or {{convert|400|ft}} 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 <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/room-service-dorset-square-london-8457272.html |accessdate=13 October 2021 |title=Room Service: Dorset Square, London |website=The Independent | date=19 January 2013 | author=Kate Simon }}</ref>

All sides (east, No.s1-8; north No.s9-20; west No.s21-28; south No.s29-40) are Grade II listed buildings.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1210609}}<br />{{NHLE|num=1066897}}<br />{{NHLE|num=1210686}}<br />{{NHLE|num=1210686}}<br />{{NHLE|num=1066898}}</ref> The Embassy of El Salvador is at No.&nbsp;8. No.&nbsp;1 currently houses the London branch of Alliance Française but during WWII functioned as its international headquarters when the original in Paris was closed.<ref>{{cite web|title=130 years of Franco-British friendship in London...|url=http://alliancefrancaise.org.uk/m_history.htm|website=Alliance Française de Londres|publisher=Alliance Française|accessdate=28 June 2017}}</ref> 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.

==Notable residents== In birth order: *George Saxby Penfold (1770–1846), a popular preacher, lived at No. 15<ref>Burials in the Parish of St Mary-le-Bone in the County of Middlesex, [https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1559/images/31280_194709-00271 No. 1835, the Reverend George Saxby Penfold, D.D.], ancestry.co.uk, accessed 5 December 2020 {{subscription required}}</ref> *Robert Fellowes (1771–1847), cleric, journalist and philanthropist *Thomas Duer Broughton (1778–1835), army officer and writer on India *Jeanette Pickersgill (c1814-1885), the first person to be legally cremated in the UK *George Grossmith (1847–1912), comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer (No.&nbsp;28)<ref>{{cite web |title=Grossmith, George |website=English Heritage |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/blue-plaques/grossmith-george-1847-1912 |accessdate=9 November 2017}}</ref> *Bithia Mary Croker (c. 1848–1920), Irish-born novelist, died at No.&nbsp;30. *Sir Laurence Gomme (1853–1916), folklorist (No.&nbsp;24) *Dodie Smith (1896–1990), novelist and playwright (No.&nbsp;18) *Jane Ridley (born 1953), historian, biographer and broadcaster (No. 31)<ref>[http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-3417100133/ridley-jane-1953.html Ridley, Jane 1953– ] at encyclopedia.com, accessed 6 March 2014</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Dorset Square, London}}

{{coord|51.5228|-0.1610|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorset Square}} Category:Marylebone Category:Squares in the City of Westminster Category:Streets in the City of Westminster Category:Communal gardens Category:Garden squares in London