London, in its first incarnation, was a trading post of the Roman Empire. The area was carefully chosen for its estuarine location, where the trade and distribution of goods could easily be maintained. In subsequent centuries, as London grew, street trading became its lifeblood, creating an unparalleled number of markets, each serving its own communities and each offering a different character.

In medieval times markets developed in popularity alongside fairs. The markets of Cheapside, Newgate and Smithfield strove to feed the evergrowing tastes of the London population, and it became apparent over time that markets required regulation. Laws were brought in not only to legalise the right to hold a market within a certain locality but also to protect the customer.

The entitlement to hold a market was typically granted by a Royal Charter. Laws determining market hours were quite strict and those who traded outside market areas and times were heavily punished. Many of these regulations still have an influence today.

Two momentous events in London’s history, the plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London of 1666, changed the appearance of the city forever. Citizens who lived in suburbs outside the city’s gates were less affected by the latter event and, after a short period of time, there began a population explosion and property boom. The need for new trading areas became pressing as a result of an Act of Parliament of 1674 that banned street markets within the city walls and a growing populace in London’s growing suburbs, and it was not long before Petticoat Lane, just outside the walls, became perhaps the most important new market in London. With increased industrialisation in subsequent years the development of Brick Lane began.

These neighbouring markets would develop into the most famous street markets in London and, later, the world. They have been a cornerstone of London’s culture for over 400 years and continue to occupy a prominent place in the landscape and, indeed, in our aspirations and dreams.