Leadenhall Market celebrates 700 years with a series of free events
Enjoy live music, art exhibitions and guided history tours at the City of London’s iconic market hall.
Leadenhall Market will celebrate 700 years of history with a series of events
© Leadenhall Market
With so many of London’s original market halls no longer serving their original purpose, it’s a notable feat to still be trading centuries later. This summer, Leadenhall Market will market 700 years of selling with a series of events.
The City of London market was established in 1321 on the heart of what was Roman London, meaning people have been trading on the spot for nearly two millennia. The site is still owned by the City of London Corporation, who were gifted it by former Lord Mayor Richard ‘Dick’ Whittington back in 1411. When the current Sir Horace Jones-designed building was erected in the Victorian era, Leadenhall was known for being a meat, poultry and game market. Today, it is now a destination for diners and drinkers, as well as boutique shopping.
This July and August, there will be a series of free events exploring the market’s vast history. From live music to exhibitions, to organised tours and self-guided walks, there will be plenty of activities on offer.
- Leadenhall Market guided tour (Wednesdays 6.30pm-7.45pm, 7 July – 4 August)
Discover the secrets of the Victorian arcades of Leadenhall Market on a guided walking tour. They are free to join, but limited spaces require booking.
- Lunchtime Lives (Thursday and Friday lunchtimes, 15 July – 6 August)
Enjoy live music from across the decades, from Victorian music hall to ’50s jazz and street bands.
- Legends of Leadenhall self-guided tour
Discover the characters of Leadenhall’s past and its fascinating tales with an interactive audio guided tour. Find the QR code on posters within the market to download the app and play at your leisure.
- Electric City exhibition (open daily until midnight, now until 31 July)
The team behind God’s Own Junkyard in Walthamstow have curated an exhibition of stunning neon art, from film sets of the past 40 years. Free to visit. An information hub is open 11.30am-7pm Wed-Sat.
- UAL Graduate Showcase (Open daily until late August)
Check out the designs of final year students from the University of the Arts London. One of the market’s shop windows will be displaying costumes for theatre productions, animal models, set design maquettes and creative boards.
- Leadenhall Market are celebrating 700 years during July and August 2021. At Leadenhall Market (access from Gracechurch Street, Lime Street and Whittington Avenue), City of London, EC3V 1LT. Nearest stations: Monument or Fenchurch Street. For more information, visit the Leadenhall Market website.
Find out what else is on in London this August.
Read more on the history of Leadenhall Market.
Posted on 8 Jul 2021, in Activities, Entertainment, History, London and tagged City of London, walking. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Memoirs Of A Metro Girl 
I used to work in Gracechurch St so would go into Leadenhall Market most lunchtimes. It was originally Tarmac but then they laid the current cobblestones – no doubt most people assume they are original Victorian, although it probably was cobbled when first built. The Full Moon pub was one of the few pubs in the area without a “no soiled or work clothes” sign so was basically a builder’s pub, effectively a “no suits and ties” rule!
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