Borough Market, Halifax facts for kids
The Borough Market is a really cool covered market building in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. It's a great example of Victorian architecture, which means it was built during the time of Queen Victoria. The market sits right in the middle of town, between Southgate, Albion Street, and Market Street. It has a beautiful roof made of glass and wrought iron, and it's surrounded by stone shops and apartments. The market was built between 1891 and 1896. It was even opened by the future King George V and Queen Mary! Today, this award-winning market is open six days a week and has about 125 market stalls.
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A Look Back: The Market's History
Before the current market, there was an older brick market building from 1790 on the same spot. Back then, a nearby slaughterhouse helped stop animals from being slaughtered right in the streets. Trading had been happening in this area since 1810. That's when a special law was passed that said people couldn't sell things on the streets in other parts of town. Later, in 1853, another law allowed the Halifax council to buy this old market, known as New Market, for £7,700.
By 1890, the old market was too small. So, the Markets and Fairs Committee decided it was time for a brand new building. They hired local architects Joseph and John Leeming to design it. The town council got a loan of £50,000 in 1891. The final cost ended up being £130,000, which was £20,000 more than planned! Work started in October 1892. The market officially opened on July 25, 1896. The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George V and Queen Mary, opened it. They also opened the Royal Halifax Infirmary on the same day. When it first opened, the market was open from 8 AM to 8 PM on Mondays to Wednesdays. On Thursdays, it closed early at 4 PM. Fridays were open until 9 PM, and Saturdays until 10:30 PM.
In 1973, the market's stone walls were cleaned. That same year, Southgate street was made into a walking area, with the road raised to be level with the sidewalk. In 1987, the Civic Trust gave the market an award. They praised its newly fixed Victorian shop fronts. They said the market had "an elegance seldom seen on such a grand scale." In 1993, the big central clock was fixed up. It's a popular meeting spot. More than fifty square feet of gold leaf were used to make it shine!
How the Market Was Built
The market has a huge roof, about 5,850 square meters (7,000 square yards), made of glass and wrought iron. This roof covers the main trading area. It connects fancy four-story stone buildings on Southgate and Market Street. These taller buildings have living spaces, which were originally for market traders and managers. There are also single-story stone shops on the other sides. Water for the market used to come from a well near the Market Street entrance.
When it was first built, there were 43 shops facing outwards. Most of these were butcher shops. However, on Albion Street, there was a fish market. On Market Street, there were three pubs: the Wheatsheaf (later called the Portman and Pickles), the Saddle, and the Peacock. The Portman and Pickles pub was named after two famous people, Eric Portman and Wilfred Pickles.
In the very center of the market, there's a tall, eight-sided lantern. It's about 18 meters (60 feet) high. This lantern is held up by decorative cast iron columns. Below the lantern, there's a beautiful clock. You could see it from most parts of the market when it was first built. Now, some of the taller stalls might block the view. The main walkways inside the market form a cross shape. This shape is also seen in the roof structure. Solid roofing is above these walkways, creating four glass-roofed sections. Each section is divided into three parts with rectangular glass panes. The flagstones on the market floor are still in great condition. They came from Solomon Marshall's quarry in Southowram. This business has now grown into a big company called Marshalls plc. The market was built on a slope, but you won't find any steps inside!
The Market Today
The Borough Market is still very busy! It operates six days a week. It has around 125 stalls where you can buy all sorts of things. In 2008, it won the title of "best market" from the National Association of British Market Authorities. In 1996, the market celebrated its 100th birthday. This celebration happened during Great British Market Week, from May 19 to 26.
Special Protection for the Market
The Borough Market is a very important building. It is "Grade II* listed" by English Heritage. This means it's a building of special national importance. It's protected so that its history and unique design can be preserved for many years to come.
Images for kids
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West side of the Borough Market viewed from Corn Market
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