The only market still in
day-to-day use in the
City of London, Leadenhall Market is situated at the south end of
Bishopsgate, less than half a mile from
London Bridge and the
Bank of England, and very close to the
Monument to the
Great Fire of London.
Established in Medieval 14th Century London, the market was initially attached to a manor house which was notable in those times for having a roof made from lead. The " Leaden-Hall Market" quickly gained a reputation as a good place to buy all manner of foodstuffs, and although other markets like Billingsgate (fish), Smithfield (meat) and Covent Garden (fruit and vegetables) were larger, Leadenhall Market would sell items in small quantities, rather than wholesale.
Completely razed to the ground during the Great Fire, the market was soon rebuilt and trading recommenced. Today there are a variety of shops and stalls, but it still specialises in high quality game, meat and fish. Enjoying a situation mere yards away from the world's second most important financial district the stallholders have a constant supply of customers with a high disposable income, and as a result Leadenhall Market is one of the places to go for buying things a little bit out of the usual.