Leadenhall Market
Off Leadenhall Street
London
EC3V 1LR
E: leadenhall.market@cityoflondon.gov.uk
W: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/leadenhall
Visitor Information
Leadenhall Market really does have the 'wow factor'. Erected in 1881, it houses a combination of fashion shops, market traders, restaurants and
wine bars. On Monday – Friday lunchtimes (11am-3pm), the market’s cobbled streets are filled with stalls selling delicacies from around the world. A varied programme of events means the area is always bustling.
A meat and fish market occupied a series of courts behind the grand lead-roofed mansion of Leadenhall on Leadenhall Street in the 14th century. It was an established meeting place of the Poulterers as early as 1321, whilst the Cheesemongers from the countryside were bound in 1397 to take their produce into the market of Leadenhall.
In 1408 the leasehold title of the Manor of Leadenhall was assigned to Richard Whittington (the Lord Mayor of the time) and citizens of London, and the freehold was conveyed in 1411 to the City of London. The market continued to be used for the sale of fish, meat, poultry and corn, although in 1666 portions of the market were destroyed by the Great Fire. In 1881 the City's architect, Horace Jones, designed the present wrought iron and glass-roofed buildings.
A celebrated character in Leadenhall during the 18th century was 'Old Tom', a gander which managed to escape execution even though it is recorded that 34,000 geese were slaughtered there in two days. He became a great favourite in the market and was fed at the local inns. After his death in 1835 at the age of 38, he lay in state in the market and was buried there.