Petticoat Lane Market (officially Middlesex Street) is famous as one of London's oldest, largest, and most historic street markets, originating in the 1750s as a hub for Huguenot, and later Jewish, textile traders. Known for its vibrant, bustling Sunday atmosphere, it gained renown for fashion, leather goods, and the theatrical, witty banter of its sellers.
About 1830, Peticote Lane's name changed to Middlesex Street, to record the boundary between Portsoken Ward, in the City of London, and Whitechapel, which coincided with the Lane. But the old name continues to be associated with the area.
Good to see real life ``east end'' market, the famous Petticoat Lane. All the normal stalls you would expect, worth an hour or so to see a real side of London. Plenty to see and so, some great characters about. Lots of food stalls to grab a bite.
The Petticoat Lane leather market was housed in a carpark on Sundays where the Travelodge City hotel is today. Jeans, leather, furs and other skinned garments and coats were sold on a Sunday cut price. The garments would be sourced from warehouses and factories on Commercial Street, Brick Lane and Aldgate.
Over in the City of London, you'll find Watling Street. Connecting Queen Victoria Street to St Paul's Cathedral (and offering a pretty gorgeous view in the process), Watling Street puts forward a fairly convincing case as the oldest street in London.
Petticoat Lane: Our most recommended tours and activities. This Jack The Ripper tour takes you to the real sites where the gruesome events unfolded over a century ago.
Fleet Street is famous as the historical heart of the British newspaper and printing industry, becoming synonymous with journalism from the 18th century until the late 20th century when most major papers moved out, though its legacy endures through landmarks like St Bride's Church (the "journalists' church") and historic pubs frequented by writers and editors, blending media history with its older connections to law and commerce in London's City.
Then Robert Hubert, a Frenchman who may have suffered mental health problems, confessed to starting the fire. He was executed in 1666, but it was later realised that he wasn't in London during the fire. Some thought God was punishing Londoners for eating too much.
Known principally for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men, the street has had a varied history that has included accommodating the headquarters of the Royal Geographical Society at 1 Savile Row, where significant British explorations to Africa and the South Pole were planned; and more recently, the Apple office ...
The Victorians changed the name of Petticoat Lane, considering it too racy. It's now called Middlesex Street, and on Sundays you'll find the street crammed with fashion and textile stalls, alongside street food sellers and other stallholders.
London's Roman City Wall - A surprising amount of it still remains. London's Roman Fort - The remains of which are situated in a dark and dingy underground car park! London's Roman Temple of Mithras - unfortunately you won't be able to see it for another few years.
There is also a dining hall connected to the Cathedral by a covered walkway, the Chain Gate Bridge. Reflecting the Close's significance, all its buildings are Grade I listed. The current occupants still include all twelve men of the Vicars Choral, plus the organists and virgers.
Victorians wore open-crotch undergarments (drawers) for hygiene, promoting air circulation, and, crucially, for convenient toilet use without removing multiple heavy petticoats and skirts, with the split design allowing access over a corset. These "open drawers" provided ventilation and practicality, preventing dampness and enabling quick relief, though they were hidden under layers of voluminous skirts, making exposure rare.
The "333 rule" in clothing refers to two popular minimalist fashion concepts: the viral TikTok trend of using 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 shoes to create numerous outfits (9 items total) for styling practice, and the more extensive Project 333, where you select 33 items (including clothes, shoes, and accessories) to wear for three months, excluding essentials like underwear, workout gear, and sleepwear, to simplify your wardrobe and reduce decision fatigue. Both methods focus on versatility, quality over quantity, and creating a functional capsule wardrobe.
The 15th-century nobility, along with their northerly neighbors in England, wore dresses that fully exposed one or both breasts. In the next century, the exposed breast was popular with Tudor era nobility. Queen Elizabeth I, was known for regularly wearing dresses in public that completely exposed both her breasts.
