Leadenhall Market - London - Places of Interest

If you’re around the Liverpool Street or Monument areas of the City of London its worth taking a walk along Gracechurch Street to have a look at the site of one of the oldest markets in London.

Leadenhall Market has one of the most distinct looks of any shopping or market place in London, with cobbled walkways and colonnaded rows of shops supporting a wrought iron and glass curved roof. The walls, columns and shop fronts are all decorated with an ornate maroon, cream and gold leaf look that is a complete contrast to the futuristic Lloyd’s of London building which stands right next to Leadenhall, outside the market’s east entrance.

The Romans originally built a forum on the site in the 1st century and it’s been a food market since the Middle Ages. In 1321 it became the meeting place for poulterers in London and in 1397 cheesemongers were bound to take their produce there. Parts of the market were destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and when it was rebuilt it was divided into the Beef Market, Green Yard and Herb Market.

The current structure was built in 1881 and designed by the City of London’s architect Horace Jones. Over the years Leadenhall was famous for its fresh fish, meat and poultry but nowadays the shops have been converted into bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes and clothing stores which are open Monday-Friday from 7am-4pm and are popular with the areas office workers.

Recreating a bit of the old tradition, every Friday from 10am-4pm stalls set up in the middle of the market selling gourmet food items. Fans of Harry Potter might also be interested to know it was used as the setting for Diagon Alley in the film version of JK Rowling’s first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Leadenhall Market is located off Gracechurch Street between Leadenhall Street and Fenchurch Street, just look for the Lloyd’s building if you can’t find it. The nearest Tubes are Monument, Bank and Liverpoool Street.