Riceyman Steps

Riceyman Steps is a flight of 20 steps located in Islington, connecting Gwynne Place to Granville Square. Originally known as 'Plum Pudding Steps', they were renamed 'Riceyman Steps' in 1923 in honor of Arnold Bennett's novel. The steps were constructed between 1841 and 1843, possibly rebuilt in the mid-19th century, and are believed to have been designed by John Booth, Surveyor to the Lloyd Baker Estate. The steps are made of granite, with York paving stones on the landings. The bottom two steps lead to the first landing, followed by a flight of 15 steps to the second landing, and a final flight of 11 steps that enters Granville Square. The bottom two steps are approximately 20 feet wide, while the upper flights are about 15 feet wide. The area around Gwynne Place was significantly altered during the Second World War and later demolished in the 1960s to make way for a car park, but the steps have remained. In the 1850s, the Metropolitan Railway was constructed beneath the southwest corner of Granville Square, leading to the demolition and rebuilding of nos. 29-38 in 1864-1865. In 1971, plans for the London Ryan Hotel to straddle the steps were proposed, but the steps were preserved.