Statue of the Duke of Bedford

The bronze figure you see standing in the square depicts Francis Russell, the fifth Duke of Bedford. Erected in 1809, this monument serves as a tribute to a man who transformed this area from a private family farm into one of the most prominent residential developments in London. The sculptor, Richard Westmacott, portrayed the Duke in classical Roman attire, an artistic choice intended to elevate his status to that of an enlightened statesman of antiquity.