Queen Square Place: QSP and Jeremy Bentham

In 1828 Bentham gave his address as Queen’s Square Place (see letter to Duke of Wellington on Chromebook) bentham_letter_wellington.png 

‘On Birdcage Walk they passed the Guard House, where a soldier in a red coat was on duty. They stopped near Queen Square. A gate in the iron railing led, on a narrow path through a vegetable garden to another gate. Hearing footsteps scrunching the gravel, he paused. The great philosopher hove into view, shuffling. Portly and with long white hair, he had a straw hat, a white ruffle shirt and a green coat. Mr Loudon watched in awe for a few minutes and then opened the gate.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024).

The Historical Significance of Bentham’s Residence at Queen Square Place

In Loudon's time, Jeremy Bentham lived in a house beside St James’s Park. His street was originally called Queen Square Place. It was renamed Queen Anne's Gate in 1874. Bentham referred to Queen Square Place as ‘QSP.’ It was a cul-de-sac. John Milton had lived in a house on Petty France, which was adjacent to Queen Square Place, from 1651 until his death in 1674. James Mill and John Stuart Mill, the utilitarian philosopher, lived in a house that belonged to Bentham, adjoing QSP. It survives and has a blue plaque.

Bentham's Famous Tenants: John Milton and John Stuart Mill

Queen Square Place, later renamed Queen Anne's Gate, was more than both Jeremy Bentham's home and a hub of intellectual activity in London. The site’s historical significance is further enhanced by its connections to other prominent figures. John Milton, the famous poet, had lived nearby on Petty France, and utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill resided in a house owned by Bentham. These associations make Queen Square Place a focal point in the history of London’s literary and philosophical heritage, marking it as a must-visit for those interested in the city’s rich cultural past - though the site is now occupied by the Ministry of Justice building,