Grosvenor Square

GROSVENOR SQUARE

Grosvenor Square is the largest of the three squares in the area of central London commonly known as Mayfair. Mayfair is so named because fairs were held here during the month of May, before the district was developed. Grosvenor Square has remained a fashionable place to live since it was laid out, between 1721 and 1725 by Sir Richard Grosvenor. The square covers the site of Oliver’s Mount, an earthwork thrown up by the English subjects in 1643 when Charles I was approaching London after the Battle Of Edge Hill.

The original buildings of the square have almost entirely been rebuilt over the centuries, one of the better known redevelopments being the American Embassy, built between 1958 and 1960 and still the largest embassy building in Europe. The Americans have had a presence in Grosvenor Square and its surrounding streets since its independence. At number nine Grosvenor Square is where John Adams, the second US president lived, when he was ambassador to London in 1785. In fact, the area is fondly known to many as, ‘Little America.’ Grosvenor Square was where anti Vietnam War protests by many thousands of students and workers took place in 1968, in front of the American Embassy.

The American Embassy is said to be the only American Embassy in the world where the Americans do not own the land beneath the four walls of the embassy. When the U.S.A. were first planning to expand into this building, the British Government placed great pressure on The Grosvenor Estate to sell the west side of Grosvenor Square to the Americans. There were mutterings of compulsory purchase. The Duke Of Westminster, head of the Grosvenor family, who was a good friend of the American ambassador of the day, offered to sell the freehold if the Americans returned to the Grosvenor family twelve thousand acres in East Florida which had been granted to his ancestor, the first Earl, in 1769. The land had been forfeited at the War Of Independence. The land in question today includes the site of Cape Canaveral. The Americans chose to back off and a compromise was reached whereby they pay rent one peppercorn a year to The Grosvenor Estate. It is believed that this was paid in full, some years ago, with the presentation of three solid gold peppercorns, covering the period up until the end of the nine hundred and ninety-nine year lease.

On top of the embassy, beneath the American flag, can be seen the bald eagle, its wingspan is longer than a London bus, it is made from aluminium and any American will tell you its head is pointed in the wrong direction. Today, anti terrorist devices are positioned around the building and there are many concerns about its exposed position. For this reason there are advanced plans to move the entire embassy to a five acre site in Nine Elms, Vauxhall, south London, where tightened security will be easier to achieve. The Grosvenor Square site was bought in late 2009 by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, although the Americans are unlikely to fully move out before 2017, at the earliest.

Positioned outside the embassy is a statue of Dwight D Eisenhower, the supreme allied commander during The Second World War. This is the only statue of him in London and was unveiled by Baroness Thatcher in 1989. It was presented by the people of Kansas City. Eisenhower is depicted his hands on his waist, looking across towards his old headquarters of strategies, over at number twenty, on the other side of the square.

The American Embassy was previously located in what is now part of the Canadian High Commission, at number one, on the opposite side of the square to its present location. London is Canada’s oldest foreign mission and the High Commissioner is based here at Macdonald House, this fine building on Grosvenor Square. The Indonesians also have their London diplomatic mission in Grosvenor Square, at number thirty-eight.

The large garden within Grosvenor Square, covering six acres, was originally a key garden, solely for the use of its residents, but is now open to all. Memorials are positioned to the four compass points of the garden, on the north side stands a fine statue of Franklin D Roosevelt. The Roosevelt Memorial was put up with donations of five shillings by most Londoners. The memorial shows the figure of Roosevelt clutching his stick hidden under his cloak, his other hand is on his lapel.

Opposite Roosevelt is the memorial to the Royal Air Force American Eagle Squadron by Dame Elizabeth Frink. The squadron was made up of mostly American citizens who had volunteered to join the Royal Air Force. Also, within the garden of Grosvenor Square stands a smaller memorial garden dedicated to those who lost their lives on September the eleventh 2001.

Grosvenor Square

Mayfair

London W1

Nearest London Underground (tube)

Bond Street and Marble Arch

Where to view Grosvenor Square  and video clips of London

London in motion has some of the best London Stock Footage and London Library Footage with moving clips of many of the above mentioned places to see, are available to browse through by simply visiting the ‘Grosvenor Square’ category of this website.  New additions of London video clips are being frequently uploaded and further categories will be appearing over the coming months.