Laid out in 1789, Cleaver Square (originally called Princes Square) was the first residential square south of the Thames, according to the Kennington Conservation Area Statement. Now covered in gravel and shaded by trees, the square is used to play pétanque in the summer, with spectators perched on the Victorian-style benches with cast iron ends. The gravel is enclosed with cast-iron bollards and chain links, and is overlooked by mock Victorian lampposts, while the square is lined with a mix of late 18th century and early-to-mid 19th century stock brick terraces. In one corner, is the old school Prince of Wales Pub, opened in 1901, which manages to feel both like an urban boozer and a country inn.
