What was Spitalfields famous for?

What was Spitalfields famous for?

The Victorian Market Their success made Spitalfields Market a major centre for the sale of fresh produce, trading six days a week. Spitalfields fell into decline after the 1820’s and gained a reputation as cheap area in which to live, proving a magnet to numerous waves of immigrants.

When did Huguenots come to Spitalfields?

In 1681, Charles II of England offered sanctuary to the Huguenots, and from 1670 to 1710, between 40,000 and 50,000 Huguenots from all walks of life sought refuge in England.

What did Spitalfields used to be?

Spitalfields became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney in 1900 and was abolished as a civil parish in 1921. It became part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 1965.

Why do you think the Spitalfields district declined in the nineteenth century?

Suburban expansion began after the Great Fire of London in 1666 and Spitalfields market was established in the 1680s. By the early 19th century the silk-weaving industry was declining in the face of cheap foreign imports and the increasingly anglicised Huguenots dispersed around London.

What was sold at Spitalfields?

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.

Who designed Spitalfields Market?

Robert Horner
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.

When was Spitalfields built?

Building began in earnest in the mid 17th century and received a boost after the Great Fire of 1666 which destroyed some 13,000 houses in the City of London. In the 1680s, Spitalfields Market was established and the Old Artillery Ground was built over.

Which area is Spitalfields?

Spitalfields, neighbourhood in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. It is situated just east of the Bishopsgate section of the former London Wall. In the Middle Ages it belonged to the priory and hospital, or “spital,” of St. Mary, which was founded in 1197 by Walter and Rose Brown.

Who owns Spitalfields Market?

the City of London
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.

When did Spitalfields Market start?

Coordinates: 51°31′10.8″N 0°04′33.9″W Spitalfields Market is a traders’ market as well as a food and art market located in Spitalfields, Central London. Traders began operating around 1666, after the Great Fire of London, where the market stands today.

What was the history of Spitalfields in London?

Like many areas of urban London, Spitalfields was originally relatively rural, although it has been inhabited since Roman times. The area was home to a significant Roman burial ground, which was excavated in the 1990s when Spitalfields market was redeveloped.

Where did the silk weavers of Spitalfields come from?

Some of the most celebrated designers of silks were Huguenots and five of the seven identified designers working for the Spitalfields silk industry in the first half of the eighteenth century were of Huguenot origin. From Spitalfields, silk weaving skills spread to Macclesfield, as well as Sudbury, in Suffolk, where silk weaving is still practised.

What was the main industry of the Spitalfields area?

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.

Why was Spitalfields important to the Huguenots?

As the Huguenots built Spitalfields into a centre of silk weaving excellence, the area became more developed and more housing was constructed. The 17 th century also saw the first market set up in the area.