The birth of the marketSmithfield became London's livestock market in the Middle Ages. Animals reared as far away as the Midlands were brought here for sale. In 1174, William Fitzstephen described it as “A smooth field where every Friday there is a celebrated rendezvous of fine horses to be sold…
Smithfield Market is one of the oldest markets in London, primarily known for livestock and meat trading. However, it is not specifically a cloth market. The oldest cloth market in London is generally considered to be the 'Cloth Fair' which was established in the 12th century. Therefore, the statement is false.
The Dagenham site was acquired by the City in 2018 from Barking Power Ltd, and announced as a potential option for bringing Smithfield, Billingsgate and, initially, the Leyton-based New Spitalfields fruit and vegetable market, also owned by the City, together in the same place.
The Town of Smithfield was named after John Smith, “The Miller,” who was granted land by Roger Williams. Smith was one of the original party of six men headed by Roger Williams that formed the first settlement in Rhode Island.
The City of London Corporation, which runs the site, said on Tuesday its council voted to stop operating Smithfield and Billingsgate fish market. The original plan had been to relocate the markets to a £1bn development in Dagenham, but a sharp rise in construction costs and wider inflation forced a rethink.
Preserving Our History: Transforming Smithfield Market into the London Museum
Does the Smithfield market still exist?
The announcement by the City of London Corporation in November that Smithfield market is to close after almost 900 years of trading has been met with surprise and dismay. Many Londoners fear Smithfield's special sense of place will be lost for good as a result.
Smithfield became London's livestock market in the Middle Ages. Animals reared as far away as the Midlands were brought here for sale. In 1174, William Fitzstephen described it as “A smooth field where every Friday there is a celebrated rendezvous of fine horses to be sold…
Smithfield Foods, Inc., is a Chinese-owned pork producer and food-processing company based in Smithfield, Virginia. Founded in 1936 as the Smithfield Packing Company by Joseph W. Luter and his son, the company is the largest pig and pork producer in the world.
Smithfield Packing Company was founded by Joe Luter Sr. and Joe Luter Jr. on Commerce Street in Smithfield. Years later, statues honoring the founding family, including Joe Luter III, were erected on our Smithfield Foods campus.
Smithfield is renowned for its mouthwatering hams, which have become a signature culinary delight. The town's long-standing tradition of curing and smoking ham has garnered worldwide acclaim.
Anyone can buy meat, poultry and provisions at Smithfield. It is open to the public by Charter: walk through the Market, look around, talk to the salesmen on the front of the stalls.
As the largest wholesale meat market in the UK and one of the largest in Europe, Smithfield Market is a cornerstone of London's culinary scene and a must-visit destination for food enthusiasts.
The corporation decided in a separate vote last November to permanently close Smithfield and Billingsgate when it pulled the plug on a planned £740m relocation to a new site in the east of the capital at Dagenham, blaming rising costs.
Today, there are almost 12,700 supermarkets in the UK, with the largest chain being Co-op Food – the brand that launched Britain's first supermarket 76 years ago. Back in 1948, the first UK self-service shop was the London Co-operative Society's unique store in Manor Park, in the East End borough of Newham.
If the plans proceed, the Smithfield site will become home to the new London Museum, while the land at Canary Wharf that will be unlocked by relocating Billingsgate could provide around 2,000 new homes, it said.
The City Guides run walking tours of Smithfield for members of the public on a monthly basis. Hear how Smithfield meat market has changed throughout its 800 year history and experience its working life first-hand on this special tour.
The corporation's original plan was to move the Smithfield market and the Billingsgate fish market to a vast new site on the Dagenham Docks, in East London. But the corporation said inflation and rising construction costs had made the project unaffordable.
The City of London Corporation, the ultimate owner of the property, has been engaged in public consultation to assess how best to redevelop the disused property and regenerate the area.
The oldest meat and fish markets in London, which date back 850 years, are facing permanent closure from 2028. Smithfield meat market, near St Paul's Cathedral, and Billingsgate fish market in Canary Wharf are to be closed after the City of London Corporation voted to withdraw support for them.
What are some interesting facts about Smithfield market?
Dating back to a 1327 charter issued by Edward II, Smithfield is the oldest meat market in London, its proximity to the River Fleet and to grazing sources making it a handy place to bring livestock to trade.
Smithfield Market is the largest wholesale meat market in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. Located within the Square Mile of the City of London it is housed in two Grade-II listed buildings.
Billingsgate's site near Canary Wharf is set to be transformed into some 4,000 new homes; meanwhile, Smithfield is set to be regenerated into a “cultural and commercial hub” to accompany the new London Museum, set to open next year in a once-abandoned section of the market.
Smithfield market's owners, the City of London Corporation, had planned to relocate Smithfield and Canary Wharf's Billingsgate fish market to the east-end suburb, but on Tuesday the body's Court of Common Council voted to scrap the move, after a recommendation from the Square Mile's policy committee.
It has been confirmed that Dublin's Victorian fruit and veg market in Smithfield will finally reopen in 2026. The historic red brick building on Mary's Lane, between Capel Street and Smithfield, has remained empty since its closure in 2019 to facilitate redevelopment.
Six months ago, Dagenham Sunday Market ceased trading and it won't now reopen. The community has lost a much-loved market and its traders are having to adapt to the future.
