What was Spitalfields market known for?

The Victorian Market Traders working from a collection of sheds and stalls did their best to meet the needs of London's rapidly growing population and their appetite for fresh fruit and vegetables. Their success made Spitalfields Market a major centre for the sale of fresh produce, trading six days a week.

What is Spitalfields famous for?

Weaving, always a London activity, became a mainstay of Spitalfields, in particular the silk weaving industry imported by French Huguenots. Today's tailoring textile, garment and leather trades are a continuation of that tradition.

What was originally sold at Spitalfields Market?

Historic market

There has been a market on the site since 1638 when King Charles I gave a licence for flesh, fowl and roots to be sold on Spittle Fields, which was then a rural area on the eastern outskirts of London.

What is the history of Spitalfields and Banglatown?

By the mid-20th century Spitalfields' Jews were moving away to suburbs in north and east London. A Bengali community established itself in the 1960s – although Muslims from the Sylhet district of Assam had been settling here since the late 19th century. The area around Brick Lane has accordingly been dubbed Banglatown.

What do they sell at New Spitalfields Market?

New Spitalfields Market has the highest number of wholesale traders of any horticultural market in the UK. The continual specialisation by its tenants in exotic fruit, vegetables and flowers ensures that it provides the greatest choice of these products of any Market in Europe.

5 THINGS TO DO IN SPITALFIELDS, LONDON | Brick Lane | Old Spitalfields Market | Street Art

Why is it called Spitalfields Market?

Spitalfields takes its name from the hospital and priory, St. Mary's Spittel which was founded in 1197. Lying in the heart of the East End, it is an area known for its spirit and a strong sense of community. It was in a field next to the priory where the now-famous market first started in the thirteenth century.

Is Spitalfields market worth visiting?

Spitalfields and Shoreditch is a very nice areas of London. The indoor market, although has a long history of being a fruit and vegetable market, is now full of restaurants and funky shops. The area around the market is worth exploring with graffiti art and old alleyways and pubs worth exploring.

Why is Brick Lane in London famous?

The area is renowned for its vibrancy, offering travellers of all types plenty to do. Possessing a fascinating history, the area is today famous for being home to the Brick Lane food market, top-class Bangladeshi and Indian restaurants (and plenty more international cuisine), vintage shops, and colourful street art.

Who lives in Spitalfields?

Spitalfields has always been a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees who sought a new life in London. In the 17th century, many Huguenots (French Protestants) fled from religious persecution in France and settled in Spitalfields.

What is Brick Lane London known for?

The name Bricklane itself comes from the brick kilns introduced here by early Flemish settlers. These days it is the home of funky art like graffiti, street art and modern art, international food and handmade ice creams . It is also the home of vintage fashion with many shops and several flea markets.

Is Petticoat Lane still a market?

Although the street was renamed Middlesex Street in the early 1800s it is still known as Petticoat Lane Market today. From Monday to Friday Petticoat Lane Market is located on Wentworth Street but on Sundays, it spreads out much further.

What is the oldest market in London?

A brief history of Borough Market

The exact origins of Borough Market remain unclear, but many historians believe it has existed since the 11^th century, possibly earlier. There are records of a market located near London Bridge in 1276.

How old is the Spitalfields market?

The Old Spitalfields Market is located in the historic heart of East London, on a site that has had a market for over 350 years. The Victorian structure, built by Robert Horner in 1875 as a wholesale market, is now a popular fashion, arts and crafts, and food destination.

Who runs Spitalfields Market?

Who owns Spitalfields Market? It was acquired by the City of London in 1920. In 2005, a redevelopment programme split the market from Old Spitalfields market which is owned by Ashkenazy Acquisitions. Read more about our history on our history page, Wikipedia or British History Online.

Why is Petticoat Lane so called?

The name Petticoat Lane came from not only the sale of petticoats but from the fable that "they would steal your petticoat at one end of the market and sell it back to you at the other."

Which market is the best in London?

Is Spitalfields a nice part of London?

One of the best areas of East London is found in the Whitechapel neighbourhood, which has two famous markets, Block Lane, and Old Spitalfields Market. Adjacent to Victoria Park, Columbia Road Market, Shoreditch, and Old Road nightlife is also close by, and you can reach central London through a fast flight.

Is Spitalfields a nice area to live?

Spitalfields area guide

The vibrant mix of communities and activities lends an off - beat vibe that attracts young Londoners who gravitate towards the numerous bars, clubs, fashion outlets and graduate art shows with several outdoor festivals taking place during the warmer months.

Why did Huguenots come to Spitalfields?

By the time the Huguenots settled in the area, it had become more developed, with timber-framed buildings and narrow streets intersecting just outside the city gates. In 1685, over 50,000 Huguenot Protestants arrived in Britain, fleeing religious persecution in Catholic France.

When did Jews come to Brick Lane?

These migrants were largely poor pedlars and traders, who found work selling second-hand clothes in the market stalls of London's 'rag trade'. The largest number of Jewish settlers in the East End arrived from Eastern Europe in the period from 1881 onwards. Many arrived poor, with little knowledge of English.

What is the most prestigious street in London?

The coveted Kensington Palace Gardens remains Britain's most expensive street, with residencies typically costing 162 times the value of the average home. Owned by the Crown Estate and nicknamed London's Billionaire Row, there is no other street quite like it.

What is the most famous street in London?

Why are there elephants at Spitalfields Market?

Elephant trail at Old Spitalfields Market

Leading the herd is the matriarch, symbolic of the mother and family each of the infant elephants, in the care of the Sheldrick Trust, lost when they became orphaned. Each smaller elephant represents the real-life herd, from loyal Maisha through to brave Sattao.

What is the best day to go to Spitalfields Market?

Thursday: An antiques market with collectible vintage and retro pieces. Friday: The daily market, and on first and third Fridays each month, there's a vinyl records fair. Saturday to Tuesday: The daily market. The market's busiest day, Sunday, features up to 100 stalls.

Can anyone go to New Spitalfields Market?

New Spitalfields Market is open to wholesale trade between the hours of midnight-11am Monday to Saturday only. It is a condition of exit that all transport companies, suppliers, customers and visitors to the Market pay an exit fee prior to leaving the site.