Dolphin Square

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Dolphin Square is a block of private apartments built near the River Thames at Pimlico in London, between 1935 and 1937.

At the time of their construction the development was billed, according to Sir Nikolaus Pevsner as the "largest self-contained block of flats in Europe" and, to an extent, their design has been a model for later municipal developments.

A. P. Herbert, 'Dolphin Square', 1935 (illustrations by H. M. Bateman) described the Square as 'a city of 1250 flats, each enjoying at the same time most of the advantages of the separate house and the big communal dwelling place'; the provision of a restaurant made him fear that 'fortunate wives will not have enough to do. A little drudgery is good for wives, perhaps. The Dolphin lady may be spoiled'. This booklet was produced as a promotional puff for the firm that owned and built the complex, Richard Costain Ltd.

Accommodation is provided in thirteen 'houses' each named after a famous navigator or admiral. At the south (Thames) side of the square the houses are Greville, Drake, Raleigh and Hawkins. Moving from the river up the west side, we find Nelson, Howard, Duncan and Beatty. The hotel, situated at the north side of the square, is in Rodney. Heading south from the hotel there is Keyes, Hood, Collingwood and Frobisher.

The building contains a swimming pool and gym, as well as a restaurant (now closed, April 2006), brasserie and shopping arcade. A tennis court and croquet lawn overlook the Thames. For many years, the estate had a reputation for being a 'Bourgeois Council Estate', with many judges, senior civil servants, and MPs living at below-market rates. Other residents have included Christine Keeler, the Princess Royal and, it is rumoured, both MI5 and Soviet spies. John Vassall, the Soviet spy, was arrested at his Dolphin Square apartment in 1962.^[1] It provided a base for the Free French during World War II. A hawk resides to contain the pigeon population.

The Estate has been sold to Westbrook Holdings (January 2006), and the hotel closed in April 2006. The Dolphin Square Tenants' Association (DSTA) is the official body representing the interests of tenants in the Square and publishes a regular newsletter TenantTimes. The Blue Dolphin Club helps to arrange an active social life.