Mad Bulls—Dead Meat—Burnt Heritics and Beheaded Patriots—-A Part of London that has A Dark Past

Mad Bulls and Dead Meat: Smithfield Market as Reality and Symbol

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Changing Feel of Smithfield

 

 

 

 

 

Smithfield is one of London’s most historic districts—but not it’s best known or most visited—which is sad bcause within it’s boundaries is one of Lodon’s oldest churches, same rare Jacobean houses—a bit of tht pesky Roman Wall and don’t forget a rare Ionly one left is central London) a surviving food market.

 

 

As I mentioned in the titl today—it’s history —-as one must expectfor those long gone by histories are very bloody—-

 

 

 

Wat Tyler’s Rebellion

 

 

First and most famous involves a rebellion and it’s leader Wat Tyler who brought his angry followers to London as that is where the king—a quite young Richard II resided—–the rebels gained entry to the capital  with the help of the citizens of the city and burned some major buildings before they were met by the king  (who was only in his early teens) to discuss the tax reduction and  their servatude that was so affecting these poor people’s lives.   They ended  talking in Smthfield  where Richard and his group gained the upper hand and managed to kill Wat Turner—-for a more in depth account of that click above.

 

 

Peasants’ Revolt Plaque Unveiled In Smithfield

 

 

 

 

Lost Worlds: Braveheart’s Scotland and William Wallace (S1, E11) | Full Episode | History

 

 

 

 

Prior to this a Scottish Patriot:  William Wallace—was seriously mutulated here in the market area (rememeber Mel  Gibson in Braveheart—yes now you got it)——

 

 

 

He was first tried at Westminster —-there’s a monument there—-after being found guilty and stripped down he was dragged to Smithfield where he was executed- drawn and quartered, his male equipment removed and finally beheaded-near St Barthomews—which also bears a plaque—–yes it had been there for a while at that time. Then

 

and finally his

 body (or pieces there of)

were scattered about the land.

 

William Wallace Memorial

 

 

 

John Rogers – the first of the “Marian martyrs” – is burned at the stake in Smithfield (1555)

 

 

 

Finally there was Henry VIII’s  Daughter, Mary who seemed to carry on her father’s bloody use of the axe—-only she had Protestant killed for their beliefs—-and these murdered persons who were  called the Marian martyrs were executed all over the land but in London these executions were carried out at Smithfield as well.

 

 

 

‘Smooth Field’ – a wander around Smithfield

 

 

 

Start out along Cannon Street, heading west.
You’ll pass Underground-annon Atreet and then Undergrund-Mansion HOuse
About 1/2 mile turn right onto New Change heading north
About 150 yeards bear left onto Crossing heading North
Then 8 yards turn right onto New Change still going north
26 yeards to a lft on Cheapside—still north
After 97 yards onto Newgate Street going west.
56 Yards or so—right King Edward Street heading North
past:
250 yds straight onto Little Britain (north)
100 yards and then right onto Bartholomw Close (north)
continue onto Hayne Street still north
then continue onto (straight and still north) Hayne St.
into (straight again) Charter House Square and guess what still north
about 13 yeards on Charter House is the first stop

Fox and Anchor

 

115 Charterhouse St.

Smithfield

 

 

This pub use to have early hours to satisfy the worker’s at the near by Smithfield market.

 

 

It has been fancied up and reopeen from that time. The pub (Grade II was closed in 1993—–It was bought at that time by one of the founders of th Malmaison Hotel Chain.  When it was reopened it had an improved menu ands hotel was added with 6 luxury bed room.  The small hotel is said not to have affection the pub.

 

 

 

 

Start out along Charter House Square heading south—-you’ll reach th next destination in 61 yards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Charterhouse

 

 

This buildin which dates to the 17th c contains remnants of the medieval monestary and a school where John Wesley studied.

 

 

 

The Charterhouse is seperated from the square by an ancient wall and ached gateway.  Originally a Carthusian monastery (14th c),

 

 

 

There was also a school here (prestigious and very expensive from what I’ve read) which moved to Surrey in 1812 leaving the place to the penniless old men.

 

 

There use to be a tour here ocassionally but more recently they have opened the gardens (which sets on the site of the original 14th c monastic chapel with the low tomb of monesatry founder Si Walter de Manney–there is a museum and programs given as well as various tours during the week—and it still cares for the old gentlemen.

 

 

Oh you really can’t miss the main gate–the same wood door to which Henry VIII —-the hands nailed  here of the last Abott that refused to give the site up when Henry took over the monestary as part of his dissolution. (some acounts state here was hung here when he was drawn and quartred—but most historical accounts say that he was cut up at the Tower (which was typical—if not inside then more likely fo a peasant on tower hill.   The king’s pople (under Henry VIII still) used the area here to lodge persons with business with th crown—like some musicans who were providing entertainment for the king and his guests.

 

 

 

Ancient Historical London Sites -The Charterhouse

 

 

 

 

The monastery was closed in 1537 as part of Henry’s (an so England’s) Reformation  Along with th Prior John Houghton’s eexecution ten additional monks were taken from here to Newgate Prison, nine of them were starved to death–the 10th exeecuted at Tower Hill—the Group was called th Carthusian Martyrs.
It became a home used by Lord North in 1558 and was occupied by Quen Elizabeth I during the preparation for her coronation
Later the Duke of Norfolk resided here and during this time  a Rucardi Ridolfi 
stayed a guest and this guest was a man
who hatched a plot to replace the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I with the Scottish (and Catholic) Queen Mary—The Ridolfi plot of 1571 failed and Ridolfi was arrested in the house.   The Duke of Norfolk was excuted on June 2, 1572 for his involvement in the affair.
Jams I held court here— his first time in Lonon (1603).
The son of executed Duke held the building for awhile..
Then Thomas Sutton (1532-1611)—not royal but rich  he
discovered coal on a couple of his estates.
and lived happiy—or at least richly here— there after.
On his death (Dec 12) he endowd a hospital on the site, calling it
Hospital of King James—and bequeathed moneys for a chapel,
hospital (almshouse) and school.  —- contested in court but upheld it
became a foundation which constituted a home for 80 male
pensioneers (gntlmen by descent and in poverty, soldiers that have
borne arms by sea or land, merchants decayd by piracy or shipwrck
or servants in household to the King or Queens Majesty)
and educated forty boys

 

 

Damaged in the Blitz but havee been rstored and some medieval and

16 century fabric rmains.

 

The school buildings on th site of a former monastic cloister bcame

the home of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School—-still there

but much re-developed.  Also The London Queen Mary’s School of

Medicine and Dentistry.

 

 

Charterhouse now has 40 male pensionerrs, known as Brothers.  It’s

annual income is in  excess of 3 million pounds.

 

 

Start out along Charterhouse Square heading north

 

 

 

 

From 1133 to 1855 Smithfield was the location of Bartholomew Fair—one of London’s summer fairs–opening on August 24th. as a trading event for cloth and other goods–a four-day event which drew all classes of society.    It was supressed in 1855 by the City for encouraging public disorder and Smithfield Market wa built on the site.

 

 

We’ll reach our destination after 61 yards.

 

 

Don’t want to do your own tours but you’re interested then how about a tour and you pay them to provide the whole like…

Burnings, Butchery & Black Death: London’s Bloody Past

 

 

 

 

Meet with kings, body snatchers, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn why he was in no fit state to shout “Freeedooom!”)

 

 

On our guided walking tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, the execution methods used in the Middle Ages, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist.

 

 

 The guided walking tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles. 

 

 

 

                                      Most cities offer these and it is a tour usually by an experienced guide:  Click below to see what other tours Historical London Tours  offer and how much they charge:

 

 

https://historiclondontours.com/gallery-%26-video

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONDAY to FRIDAY from 2am (visitors and buyers should arrive by 7am to find full range of stalls open) Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.
Smithfield or, to give it its official name, London Central Markets, is the largest wholesale meat market in the UK and one of the largest of its kind in Europe.
Meat has ben traded here for over 500 years, making it one of the oldest makets in London.   In fact there was a livestock market here in the 10th century.

 

 

Later on it did raise some criticism—in 18 51 Dickens had issues with a livestock market in the heart of the capital city.   In fact the current Smithfield meat market was established by Parliament in 1850 in the Metropolitan Meat and Poultry Market Act and work was began on the Central Market in 1866 and completed in November, 1868.  There were extension the first between 1873 and 1875 and was the Poutry Market.  The General Market in 1879 to 1883   and that’s just a few of the additions, enlagement and on and on.
At the end of World War 2 a V2 rocket hit on the south side of Charterhouse street near Farrington Road.  The explosion did major damage to the market building and into the underlying RR tunnels as well as there being 110 causaltiss
Today is one of London’s Food markets to remain in th main part of town and has been modernised —-though beneath it ar a vast warren of tunnel that was originally used to bring animals here avoiding the buser and more urban London in days gone by
1 in stock
$26.00
Starting out along Charterhouse Street heading south
After 43 yeards turn lft onto Fox and Knot Street heading south
After 33 yeards continuee straight onto Linsdey Street headng south
After 98 yeards turn right onto Long Lane heading south
After 41 yards turn left onto Cloth Court heeading south
After 37 Yardd turn right onto Cloth Fair heading south
You will reach your destination 21 yards along Cloth Fair.
The City of London, a financial hub, is seeking ways to draw people as a shift toward flexible work keeps some professionals away.

Credit…Tolga Akmen/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Maybe you don’t want to do a tour controlled or charged for by someone else—-there are free and non-involved options:  For instance for London
These from from the city and are to my understanding:
Pick up a free self-guided tour map from the City Information Centre and discover the City of London at your own pace.

Exploremore

Content pageDate created: 9/02/2021Download the Exploremore app and begin discovering the secrets, history and hidden gems the City of London has to offer through guided walks.

 

 

Self-guided walks and trails

Click here for a bit about available tours.

 

 

This site has a bit more flexible agenda for you  as well as more structued tours with themes from Harry Potter to the Beatles—there are 20 and these are up for purchase—-but while you pay—you do get the freedom of doing them on your own.

 

Create Your Own Walking Tour

Custom Walk: Create Your Own Walking Tour

 

How it works: Download the app “GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities” from iTunes App Store or Google Play to your mobile phone or tablet. Each walk comes with a detailed tour map as well as photos and background information for the featured attractions. The app’s navigation functions guide you from one attraction to the next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

 

 

 

So we’ll see you back next week and look at the  Cloth Fair ====we’re still on Day 3…..by the way—-I’ll explain more of that next week as well.

 

 

 

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