Smithfield is central London’s last surviving meat market. The name ‘Smithfield’ appears to come from ‘Smoothfield’ (from Saxon ‘Smeeth Flede) where animals could be grazed, although its history is far from pastoral.
Built on the site of the notorious St Bartholomew’s fair, where witches were traditionally burned at the stake, this is where Scottish Independence leader William Wallace was executed in 1305 as well as the place where the leader of the Peasant’s Revolt, Wat Tyler met his end in 1381.
Over 200 Protestants were burned alive here during the six years of Queen Mary’s reign in the 1550s.
The history of the live cattle market, where Londoners purchased meat that arrived on the hoof, began earlier than other London markets. The area called Smithfield eventually contained four markets: the live cattle market, a hay market a horse market and a cloth market.
Smithfield was used for a regular Friday horse market as early as 1200. William Fitzstephen, in his account of London, written before the twelfth century describes it as a plain field, where every Friday a number of valuable horses were exposed for sale.
In 1638 a live cattle market was started. However, it used as a market started with Roman occupation. London had been a trading centre moving its produce, salt and fish throughout the Roman Empire.
By the late Saxon and into the Middle Ages, London markets grew to feed an every expanding population. The live cattle market existed within a constellation.
In 1849 almost one million animals were sold at Smithfield each year. In 1852 an Act of Parliament relocated the market to the countryside, and the cut meat was transported into London by railroad.
London Central Markets (Smithfield)
