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History of Bloomsbury
The name Bloomsbury is derived from the surname of William Blemond, whose manor house was dubbed Blemondsisberi. In the 1390s, the house was passed along to Edward III, who eventually donated it to the Carthusian monks. In the 16th Century, during the dissolution of the monasteries, Blemondsisberi was seized by Henry VIII and given to the Lord Chancellor and Earl of Southampton, Thomas Wriothesley. A descendent of Wriothesly married into the powerful Russell family, handing over Bloomsbury in the late 17th Century.
Bloomsbury became a wealthy and fashionable area in the 18th Century, as it was close to both the city and the countryside. Large townhouses were built for families who spent the week in town and the weekend in the country. 1847 saw the development of New Oxford Street to ease travelling between Bloomsbury and High Holborn. At this point Bloomsbury began to lose its residential luster as it became more institutionalised with museums - notably the recently refurbished British Museum - and universities.
Bloomsbury is also famous for the Bloomsbury Group, a mix of English writers, philosophers and artists who frequently met between about 1907 and 1930 at the houses of Clive and Vanessa Bell and of Vanessa's brother and sister Adrian and Virginia Stephen (later Virginia Woolf).
Today, Bloomsbury is one of the fastest growing residential areas in the West End. Centrally located with grand Edwardian and Victorian buildings, Georgian houses, muses, Art Deco blocks and new developments, many in quiet streets, Bloomsbury is now a major area for West End living. It is a prime location for those wishing to have a peaceful life while being within walking distance from the best of what London can offer in culture and entertainment.
Places of interest – Visit This is London for more information
• British Museum • Sir John Soane's Museum • Dickens House Museum • Senate House
Transport Links – Visit Transport for London for more information
Goodge Street –Northern Line
Russell Square – Picadilly Line
Tottenham Court Road – Central & NorthernLines
Warren Street– Northern & Victoria Lines
Local Authority
Camden – http://www.camden.gov.uk/
Council tax bands for 2008/2009
Please note you should always check the value of your property on the 1st April 1991 to ensure you are in the correct council tax band.
 Council Tax band |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
Property Values
as of April 1991 |
Up to
£40K |
£40
to £52K |
£52K
to £68K |
£68K
to £88K |
£88K
to £120K |
£120K
to £160K |
£160K
to £320K |
over
£320K |
| Camden LA |
£867.02 |
£1,011.51 |
£1,156.02 |
£1,300.52 |
£1.589.53 |
£1,878.53 |
£2,167.54 |
£2,601.04 |
Higher rates for garden squares. Please see Camden website
Average Rental and Sale prices for Bloomsbury (WC1)
| |
Postcode |
Area |
1 Bedrooms |
2 Bedrooms |
3 Bedrooms |
Bigger |
| To Rent |
WC1 |
Bloomsbury/Holborn |
£321 pw |
£430 pw |
£704 pw |
£725 pw |
| For Sale |
WC1 |
Bloomsbury/Holborn |
£437,000 |
£606,000 |
£912,000 |
£3,525,000 |
School League tables – Click here for School League Tables
For Primary Schools in Camden please click here
For Secondary Schools in Camden please click here
For colleges in Camden please click here
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