{"id":16796,"date":"2024-06-04T13:44:15","date_gmt":"2024-06-04T13:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/old-spitalfields-market-london\/"},"modified":"2024-06-04T13:45:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-04T13:45:00","slug":"old-spitalfields-market-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/old-spitalfields-market-london\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Spitalfields Market in London"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In East London, within the Tower Hamlets district, the Old Spitalfields Market is one of the most popular spots in the English capital. <\/em><\/p>\n\n

Nestled in a beautiful Victorian building amidst towering skyscrapers, this historic market entices both tourists and locals with its vibrant and flavorful atmosphere. You’ll find trendy shops, artisan stalls, street food vendors, and world cuisine restaurants all under one roof.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

The best part?<\/em><\/strong> The market is covered, providing a cozy refuge from London\u2019s notorious drizzle! <\/em><\/p>\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 The Captain\u2019s Tips<\/strong> \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Want to know more about the history of London?<\/strong> Captain Ulysses highly recommends this free guided tour of the capital.<\/a><\/mark> The tip you leave is entirely up to you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking for a hotel in London?<\/strong> Be sure to check out the Captain’s article: Where to stay in London? Tips & Recommendations.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Old Spitalfields Market At A Glance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

A Brief History of Spitalfields Market<\/em><\/h3>\n\n
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The Birth of Spitalfields Market<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The history of Old Spitalfields Market dates back to the 17th century. <\/strong> In 1638, King Charles I granted John Balch a “royal charter” allowing him to hold a market on Spital Square<\/strong> on Thursdays and Saturdays. Thus, Spitalfields Market was born.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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An Immigrant Neighborhood<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The market quickly grew, becoming one of London’s largest fruit and vegetable markets. <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally a rural area, it soon attracted a growing population,<\/strong> including waves of immigrants: <\/strong> Huguenots from France and Irish weavers in the 17th century, Jews fleeing Russian pogroms in the 18th century, and more recently, a large community from Bangladesh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When writer Charles Dickens<\/strong> visited the area in the mid-1850s, he described it as plagued by poverty, deprivation, and disease. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In the 19th century, Spitalfields Market experienced a long decline<\/strong>. In 1876, Robert Horner, a former porter who had worked at the market, purchased the lease and constructed the Victorian halls we know today<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifteen years later, the City of London<\/strong> bought Spitalfields Market and expanded it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Recent History<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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By the 1990s, the infrastructure of Spitalfields Market, still operating as a wholesale fruit and vegetable market, was in a deplorable state<\/strong>. The City of London relocated the market to the suburbs<\/strong>, renaming it “New Spitalfields Market.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 2000s, private investors bought the nearly abandoned Old Spitalfields Market<\/strong>, completely renovating the Victorian building and expanding the market into what it is today.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\ud83d\udca1 Did you know? \ud83d\udca1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The first victim of Jack the Ripper was discovered at Spitalfields Market. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Old Spitalfields Market by the Numbers<\/em><\/h3>\n\n