To Market, To Market

23.11.19

London has markets of all description around every corner. As well as the traditional cheap as chips homeware type markets, there seem to be foodie markets galore.

One of the most famous is the Borough Markets in Southwark. There have been markets on the site since the 12th century, with the current buildings dating from the 1850’s. Today it specialises in gourmet food and beverages.

We braved yet more huge crowds to experience the vibe.

It was complete bedlam, and you just had to move along with the human flow of traffic.

But the food and produce were beautifully displayed and looked very inviting!

The paella looked good but we opted for empanadas…the queue was shorter!

Wandering along the back streets by the Thames we stumbled upon Shakespeare’s Globe theatre and right next door a funny little house that turns out was where Christopher Wren lived. Pretty much opposite his greatest masterpiece, St Paul’s Cathedral.

Had it been around in the day, Christopher could have popped over to check up on the building works via the Millenium Bridge!

The next market on our list was Spitalfields Market, famous for handmade original clothing and accessories. The whole area is going through a period of revitalisation, and although there have been markets on the site for over 400 years, the old Victorian buildings blend in with new additions and clever architecture.

Polka Dots are definitely the go for next summer!

The quality of the goods on sale was top notch, and so was the price!

The last market we wanted to see was the Columbia Rd Flower Market, a London institution. It too, has an interesting history. Originally the site of a notorious slum, in 1840 a local philanthropist called Angela Burdett-Coutts purchased the land and built the markets, giving the space back to the people. What a nice lady!

With Christmas around the corner, it was also pretty busy, with lots of people carting Xmas trees off under their arms. The prices were very reasonable and I could see why people made the effort to travel there.

Exhausted, we made our way home and retired to a newly found ‘local’, the King Charles 1. Hiding in a back street only about 100m away, it was quiet and absolutely gorgeous.