Borough Market facts for kids
Borough Market is a famous food market in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the biggest and oldest markets in the city. People have been buying and selling food here for hundreds of years! Today, it's a great place to find special and delicious foods. The buildings you see now were mostly built in the 1850s.
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History of Borough Market
Borough Market has a very long history. People first mentioned a market near London Bridge in 1276. But the market itself says it started even earlier, around 1014!
Over time, the market moved to a new spot. In 1550, King Edward VI gave the City of London control over all markets in the area. This was confirmed by King Charles II in 1671.
However, the market became so busy that it caused huge traffic jams! So, in 1754, a special law was passed to close it down. But the local people quickly started a new market in 1756. This new market was set up on a 4.5-acre site.
During the 1800s, Borough Market grew very important. Its location near the Pool of London made it a key place for food trade.
In 2017, the market was closed for 11 days after a sad event nearby. It reopened once the area was safe again.
Visiting Borough Market
Borough Market is located on Southwark Street and Borough High Street. It is just south of Southwark Cathedral, near the southern end of London Bridge.
The market is open for shoppers most days:
- Monday to Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Fridays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Saturdays: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There is also a wholesale market for businesses. It operates early in the mornings on weekdays, from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Market Buildings and Design
The main buildings of Borough Market were designed in 1851. More parts were added in the 1860s. A special entrance in the Art Deco style was built on Southwark Street in 1932.
The market has changed over the years due to railway expansions. Trains now run on viaducts above parts of the market.
A big renovation project started in 2001. As part of this, a beautiful old entrance from the Floral Hall at Covent Garden was moved and rebuilt here in 2004. This old entrance is now a protected historical building.
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Borough Market around 1860
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The Art Deco entrance on Southwark Street, built in 1932
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The South Portico, moved from Covent Garden in 2004
What You Can Buy at Borough Market
Today, Borough Market mostly sells special and unique foods to the public. But in the past, it was mainly a wholesale market. This meant it sold large amounts of produce to greengrocers. It was a major supplier of fruits and vegetables for shops.
Stallholders come to the market from all over the UK. You can also find traditional foods imported from other European countries.
Some of the delicious things you can buy include:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Different types of cheese
- Meats and game
- Freshly baked bread and pastries
Borough Market is run by a special group of volunteers. They live in the area and make sure the market helps the community.
You might have even seen Borough Market in movies! It has been used as a filming location for movies like Bridget Jones's Diary (2001), Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). More recently, parts of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) were filmed there.
Trains Above the Market
Since the 1860s, railway companies wanted to extend train lines from London Bridge station. They wanted to reach new stations like Cannon Street and Blackfriars. This meant building railway bridges, called viaducts, over the market.
The market still operates right underneath these railway arches. Every time the railway needs to expand, the market receives money for the changes.
Recently, as part of the Thameslink Programme, some buildings in the Borough Market area were changed or taken down. For example, the top floors of a market building and a pub were removed. This made space for new railway bridges. But the remaining parts of the buildings are still used. The old glass roof on Stoney Street was also fixed up and cleaned.
See also
In Spanish: Borough Market para niños
