Ruskin Square
Who was John Ruskin? One of the greatest thinkers of the Victorian era, John Ruskin remains a central figure in the history of art and architecture.
John Ruskin
One of the greatest thinkers of the Victorian era, John Ruskin remains a central figure in the history of art and architecture.
He believed passionately in improving the lives of ordinary people, and was an early champion of causes like a national health service, retraining for the unemployed, and public galleries and libraries.
He also had close connections with Croydon. His mother was born there, and he visited the area throughout his life, growing to love the River Wandel. His parents are buried in Shirley, and he erected a fountain in Carshalton, dedicated to his mother.
Ruskin saw architecture as the most public of the arts. A civilization,
he believed, could be judged on the quality of its public spaces.
Today, that same belief has inspired the creation of Ruskin Square.
