The Napoleonic Wars and a slump in the London property market brought a temporary stop to construction of the square after the south and east sides were completed.
Another contemporary account describes the incomplete square: The houses are faced with stone, and have a greater proportion of architectural excellence and embellishment than most others in the metropolis.
[3] The south side suffered bomb damage during World War II and was rebuilt with traditional facades to remain in keeping with the rest of the square.
[5][6] In 2008 the square was upgraded by relaying most of the surface at a single level, removing street clutter such as bollards, and further restricting vehicular access.
In addition to those above: The square is described in William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair as the "Anglo-Indian district", where many retired officials of the civil service in India resided.
[20][21] On the south-west side of the square's central gardens is a fibreglass sculpture created by Naomi Blake to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee in 1977.