De Beauvoir Square
Directions
Cross Kingsland Road into St Peter's Way and continue through the road closure into de Beauvoir Square. Continue around the left side of the Square and pass through another road closure into Northchurch Terrace.
Description
De Beauvoir Square is at the centre of the mid-19th century de Beauvoir Estate, which has been described as the 'first large-scale building enterprise in Hackney'. The 1830s and '40s saw the main period of development carried out by Richard Benyon, who, having changed his name to Benyon de Beauvoir, gave his name to the new scheme. His 130-acre de Beauvoir Town estate has been praised for its 'conspicuous consistency in the housing stock'. In the 1890s, the then owner, Mr J H Benyon, leased the garden to Hackney Borough Council on an annual basis at a nominal rent allowing public access 'at all reasonable times'.
Further information on LGT Inventory
