What is the short history of Covent Garden?

It was laid out in the 1630s as a “piazza,” or residential square (the first of its kind in London), to the design of Inigo Jones. Surrounded on three sides by tall houses with an arcaded street floor, the square was bounded on the west by the low, solemn-porticoed St. Paul's Church. Covent Garden Market, London, 2008.

What is the history of Covent Garden?

The first historical record of Covent Garden dates back to 1200, when it consisted of fields. Owned by Westminster Abbey, the land where the Market Building and the Piazza now stand was referred to as 'the garden of the Abbey and Convent', hence its name.

What is Covent Garden short description?

Covent Garden is a world-class shopping and dining destination attracting food-lovers and fashionistas alike. Buzzing with the excitement of the opera and theatreland, the area boasts some of the best shopping and dining destinations in London's West End, from Mulberry to Petersham Nurseries and Balthazar to Frenchie.

What is a fact about the Covent Garden?

Covent Garden is home to the oldest theatre in London. The oldest theatre in London is the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane which dates back to 1663. Rumour has it there is an underground tunnel so the stars of the show could swiftly get to the nearby pub.

What is Covent Garden Market famous for?

Once home to the world-famous fruit and vegetable market, Covent Garden's Apple Market continues to support market traders, offering a range of unique handmade crafts and goods throughout the week.

Covent Garden Juicy Debauched History Romp - London Walk

What is Covent Garden named after?

“Covent Garden” is actually a bastardization of “Convent Garden,” which it was called as early as the 1500s for being the vegetable garden of the monks of Westminster Abbey.

How old is the Covent Garden?

Dating back to 1200, Covent Garden's first historical record describes it as fields owned by Westminster Abbey. Referred to as 'the garden of the Abbey and Convent', this land now accommodates the Market Building and the Piazza, from where Covent Garden derived its name.

What is Covent Garden oldest building?

43 King Street | Oldest Surviving Building In Covent Garden - DD Architects.

How many stories is Covent Garden?

Covent Garden is one London Underground station that's missing an escalator. It instead has lifts and a mighty staircase. At the station, a recorded announcement regularly reminds commuters to only take the stairs if they're fit and able, as the 193 steps are equivalent to climbing 15 floors.

Who owns the Covent Garden?

Although most of central Covent Garden is currently owned by Capital & Counties, there have been several freeholders in the area's history, including the GLC who restored the buildings and converted them from their former use (the famous fruit and vegetable market) into the lively mixture of shops and restaurants that ...

Can you live in Covent Garden?

Covent Garden has collections of luxury period homes, offering a unique opportunity to live in the heart of the Covent Garden estate.

How tall is the tree in Covent Garden?

Covent Garden's iconic 60-foot British grown handpicked Christmas tree is decorated with over 30,000 lights and wrapped up with a picture perfect tag and bow.

Why is it called 7 dials?

'One of London's great public ornaments'

Neale commissioned England's leading stonemason, Edward Pierce, to design and construct the Sundial Pillar in 1693-4 as the centrepiece of his development in Seven Dials. The Pillar was topped by six sundial faces, the seventh 'style' being the column itself.

Why did Covent Garden move?

Barrows, cars, lorries, horses and donkeys were constantly jammed into the narrow side streets with little room for manoeuvre. As a result, in the 1960s the Covent Garden Market Authority decided to move to Nine Elms in Battersea and the Greater London Council (GLC) bought all the land they owned.

How big is the Covent Garden?

Covent Garden, Westminster/Camden

After 900, Viking attacks prompted the Saxons to move back within the walls of the City of London and there was little activity in this locality until the abbot and convent of the Benedictine abbey of St Peter, Westminster, established a 40-acre garden here in the 13th century.

Is it safe to walk in Covent Garden at night?

I can personally attest that Soho and Covent Garden are pretty darn safe pretty late into the night. Just stick with the crowds and you'll be okay.

What is the number 1 crime in London?

Theft (55,916 incidents) is by far and away the biggest issue in the borough, but there's also soaring numbers in violent crime (11,781 offences), vehicle crime (4496 offences), and robbery (4266 incidents). All of this combines to show a shocking 22.7% increase over last year's statistics.

How many stabbings in London 2023?

The number of knife or sharp instrument offences recorded by the police in London rose to approximately 12,786 in 2022/23, compared with 11,122 in the previous year.

When did Covent Garden stop being a flower market?

The market officially stopped trading on Friday 8th of November, 1974 – the entire enterprise relocated to Nine Elms in Vauxhall. Boursnell, of course, was there, recording the end of a very particular era of London history.

What's the meaning of Covent?

noun A meeting; a gathering; an assembly. noun A convent or monastery; the monks or nuns collectively. noun An agreement; a covenant.

What day is Covent Garden market?

General Market - Tuesday to Friday from 10.30am to 7.30pm. The general market is well placed to serve the Covent Garden community. It offers a wide range of goods, plants to picnic hampers, greeting cards to souvenirs, beauty care and garden equipment.

How many people visit Covent Garden every year?

It housed the market until 1974, and in 1980 its retail revival started to take place, turning it into the much-loved tourist hot spot that 44 million people visit every year. Surrounded by historical theatres showing the best West End musicals in town, it's no wonder Covent Garden has plenty to keep you entertained.

How many donkeys worked in Covent Garden?

This plaque to the south of the market remembers the working donkeys of Covent Garden, who would haul costermongers' carts to and from the market. The plaque suggests some 100,000 donkeys were employed in this way between 1661 and 1974, which is one hell of a tally.

What is the name of the church in the Covent Garden?

Welcome to St. Paul's Church, affectionately known as The Actor's Church. Located in the heart of Covent Garden, this beautiful church has been a cherished landmark for Londoners for over 300 years.