West Smithfield is one of my very favourite parts of London and I’ve written about it countless times despite it being an area little larger than a football field. As the western worlds oldest hospital, St Bartholomew’s and its neighbouring and magnificent neighbour St Bartholomew The Great Church both prepare for their 900th birthday party… Continue reading The return of the Bartholomew Fair
Tag: Smithfield
Wife Swapping and Selling at Smithfield Meat Market
If you’ve ever been to a disco or club with the intent of meeting that special someone you may have heard of it as ‘going to the meat market’. In yesteryear, men were unable to obtain a divorce without invoking a special Act of Parliament, a protracted and expensive business and ladies had even less… Continue reading Wife Swapping and Selling at Smithfield Meat Market
The Henry VIII Gatehouse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital
For such a dominating historical figure, there are pretty few statues of King Henry VIII left with us and indeed there is only one in the whole of London. If you’ve never seen it then you’ve likely never been on one of my tours and you definitely haven’t been to Smithfield. It is thought likely… Continue reading The Henry VIII Gatehouse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital
Catch my first ever virtual tour at 4pm London time today (oh and I’m on the BBC again, Radio 5 1.20pm)
Following on from all sorts of big events last week, I’ve been invited by a local history society to do my first 1 hour virtual tour today at 4pm London time. It will be someone filming a streaming video on their phone with myself doing a commentary of sorts. It’s totally free to view below… Continue reading Catch my first ever virtual tour at 4pm London time today (oh and I’m on the BBC again, Radio 5 1.20pm)
The statue of Peace in Smithfield with its secret sign of fidelity.
As I mentioned in passing on my post on Smithfield Market the area hasn’t just got a millennia long relationship with animal markets and executions. It was also a place where men in Victorian times would bring their unwanted wives to swap them with other men, divorce being both monetarily expensive and a social faux-pas. Around… Continue reading The statue of Peace in Smithfield with its secret sign of fidelity.
Smithfield Market on the moo-ve after 900 years
One of my favourite less-visited parts of London is the area known as Smithfield. Like many an ancient city in the Middle-East, India or elsewhere, London had and to an extent still has, districts that would specialise in certain produces such as gold, silver, fruit or meat. Smithfield has been a meat market for more… Continue reading Smithfield Market on the moo-ve after 900 years
Stephen Liddell 