07 Changing London 12 07 Changing London Changing London AN HISTORIC CITY FOR A MODERN WORLD NEXT ISSUE SAVING LONDON LONDON’S SPORTING HERITAGE MARKETS WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH SOME OF With the 2012 Olympics being held in London, LONDON’S HISTORIC BUILDINGS we will be looking at the wide variety of Reminders of London’s ancient markets are all But it is not only in the centre of London that historic buildings and sites associated with around in the capital’s street names: medieval markets add to the character of an area. Across sport in the capital down the centuries. Cheapside, 17th century Haymarket, 18th the city, around one hundred general and century Shepherd Market… specialist markets of all sorts bring life and Markets have always had an impact on vitality to our streets, often reflecting something London’s built environment.The splendid of the nature of the communities in which they Billingsgate market hall designed by Horace have developed. New markets, such as the Jones in 1874 is a reminder of the area’s burgeoning ‘Farmers’ Markets’, bring a temporary association with fish (and bad language!) even village air to several London neighbourhoods. though the market itself moved to the Isle of In this issue of Changing London we look at Dogs in 1982.The attractive Victorian market this rich and diverse aspect of the capital. buildings of Leadenhall and Smithfield are still in use, although there are concerns about the future of Smithfield. SPITALFIELDS CHARNEL HOUSE BRUSHFIELD STREET In advance of major redevelopment of the western area of the former Spitalfields horticultural market, archaeological investigation unearthed the substantial remains of a 14th century charnel house associated with the priory of St Mary Spital. Used as a repository for bones from earlier burials, disturbed when new graves were dug, it was converted into a house after the Dissolution and then demolished to ground level in about 1700 and its crypt covered with earth. Following close consultation between English Heritage, the developers and their architects, the CONTACT DETAILS substantial remains have been preserved in situ.They can be viewed from To receive this publication regularly, please send in above through glass panels, and from the side via a sunken courtyard, your address details to: all situated within public open space off Brushfield Street. Richard Dumville (Regional Policy Officer) London Region, English Heritage ST GEORGE’S 23 Savile Row, London, W1S 2ET BLOOMSBURY Alternatively you can e-mail us at Designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor [email protected] and built between 1716 and 1731. Additional copies can be obtained from English It has a stepped spire, which was Heritage Customer Services – call 0870 333 1181. inspired by Pliny’s description of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum in Turkey). A major programme of restoration Published by English Heritage costing £6.75m is currently Edited by Richard Dumville and Gordon Dulieu underway, with major contributions Designed by Real 451 from English Heritage, the Heritage Printed by Colourhouse Lottery Fund and the World Cover image: Borough Market Monuments Fund.This important grade I listed church will fully All images © Richard Dumville/English Heritage except Covent Garden © Boris Baggs re-open in October 2006. Borough p.7 © Derek Kendall/English Heritage www.stgeorgesbloomsbury.org.uk/ Leadenhall © www.britainonview.com www.thebeasts.info/. Bermondsey © www.britainonview.com Romford © London Borough of Havering St Pancras © Press Association Clapton Portico © Keith Collie CONTENTS 6/7 10 Spitalfields © Andy Chopping/MoLAS Borough Farmers’ Markets Lords © www.britainonview.com 2/3 Historic markets Leadenhall 11/12 Product code: 50941 in London 8/9 News stories across 4/5 Romford London Region Smithfield Bermondsey Covent Garden 07 Changing London 2/3 SUSIE BARSON OF ENGLISH HERITAGE’S ‘Markets hold an historic place in the life of our ARCHITECTURAL INVESTIGATION TEAM TAKES A towns and cities and play an important role in LONDON’S LOOK AT THE DIVERSE AND FASCINATING HISTORY MARKETS OF THE CAPITAL’S MARKETS. promoting their civic identity and regeneration’ From Greenwich, Camden Lock and language of its porters, dockers and Cheapside were closed; others at markets of licenses and places to Old Billingsgate Market, closed Portobello Road to Electric Avenue, fishwives.The market remained on Leadenhall, Newgate, and Billingsgate operate while allowing sites to be in 1982, now an events space. The first national survey of Columbia Road and Walthamstow, the site until 1982, when archaic were rebuilt as covered markets developed by supermarkets or high retail markets has recently London’s markets provide distinctive facilities, traffic on the newly built under Royal Charter. Many private street chains, or replace been published. Visit local colour. Lower Thames Street and threats of landlords were granted charters to marketplaces with fund-raising car www.nabma.com/news for more information. redevelopment of the site forced hold markets on their land: Covent parks. Businesses that relocate away London has always been a market To read about the efforts being the market out to the Isle of Dogs. Garden was the first of these to from the centre have caused some town. Established by the Romans in made in support of markets appear in 1670. Others followed at of London’s central markets to across the U.K. see the 1st century A.D. Londinium Borough Market, with a history Carnaby Market, Spitalfields Market, decline as they rely on the trade of www.marketsquared.co.uk became a thriving centre of almost as old as Billingsgate’s, is a Shepherd Market and Oxford local workers.Tourist stalls are For fascinating historical insights commerce importing and selling small fruit and vegetable market Market, near Oxford Street. replacing commodities such as visit www.victorianlondon.org.uk olive oil, wine, pottery, glass and which began operating in the 13th traditional fruit and vegetables; marble.Trading took place in the century close to the old London The arrival of the railways from the mid-19th century had a major Covent Garden is a prime example forum, close to the present Bridge. Granted a charter by of this. However, conversley, Leadenhall Market. In the late 9th Edward VI in the mid -16th century, impact on London’s markets. In the 1860s and ‘70s new foodstuffs could Farmers’ markets selling fresh, locally century Alfred the Great re- in the mid -18th century it moved grown produce are making a good established London as a major port, to Rochester Yard west of Borough be brought into town from further away, and sold at markets close to comeback in some parts of London, rebuilding its defences and High Street and remains there to particularly in the suburbs. establishing new wharves and this day. stations. Conversely many markets waterside markets at Billingsgate were cleared away as a result of the The dispersal of traditional markets and Queenhithe, which encouraged railways, increased traffic and means that many market structures the growth of transport and trade tramlines. Bermondsey Antiques have been swept away, but in fish, grain, salt and timber, and Market moved to its present site sometimes associated buildings have later, iron and coal. By the 12th after the Second World War. Others survived, some of architectural or century, the City of London had were forced off their sites because historic interest.The earliest several markets around what is now of wartime bomb damage.The surviving purpose built market hall is called Cheapside (ceap was the post-war influence of various at Covent Garden (1828-30 and Saxon word for market), providing immigrant communities has later); other Victorian examples food, cloth, and leather.Within the breathed new life into a number of survive at Smithfield (1866-68), City walls each craft or trade had traditional markets especially Billingsgate (1877), and Leadenhall lodges in their respective area. Brixton, Shepherd’s Bush and Ridley (1881).These important examples Street names recall them: Cornhill, Road, but several have closed or are are listed, as are smaller market Bread Street,Wood Street, Milk dying: Hammersmith Market, buildings at Greenwich and around Street, Ironmonger Lane and Poultry. Old Columbia Market, demolished 1960. Lambeth Walk, Burdett Road and Shepherd Market, and remnants Chatsworth Road – Victorian such as the former market clock The growth of London in the From at least the 12th century, a livestock market was established at markets that have all but gone. tower at Caledonian Road (pictured Middle Ages caused an increase in here). Many adapt to new retail or wholesale trade. Larger trading fairs Smithfield north-west of the city Markets today are facing a number walls. Every Friday, sheep, pigs and of challenges to their survival. commercial use; others occupy held annually were established at valuable land and face an uncertain Smithfield in the 12th century cattle were driven through the Supermarkets increasingly deal streets of London to be slaughtered directly with suppliers and not future such as at Spitalfields and (Bartholomew Fair and Cloth Fair) Smithfield, while some such as and Westminster in the 13th and and sold.This practice came to an through the market place; the high end in 1852 and the site was value of land in London encourages Borough find renewed vigour as 14th centuries, attracting foreign retail trading replaces wholesale, and merchants to sell textiles, furs and covered with the large and owners to profitably develop on elaborate purpose-built market land previously used for markets; the build a new customer base. English spices.Three of the city’s great Heritage encourages the wholesale markets date from the buildings designed by the City undesirable and unsociable aspects architect Horace Jones, for the sale of some markets can also continuation of traditional use Middle Ages: Billingsgate, Borough wherever possible.