(click image to enlarge)
Smithfield probably originated from a corruption of ‘smeth field’, Saxon for ‘Smoothfield’, and a market has been on the site since the 14th century, although the live market moved to Islington in 1852.
The covered market buildings were designed by Sir Horace Jones (who also designed Tower Bridge) and construction began in 1866. The first of Smithfield’s buildings, the Central Meat Market was completed in 1868, the Poultry Market in 1878 and the Fruit and Vegetable or General Market, which showcased the innovative use of ironwork and tested the limits of civil engineering, was not completed until several years after Jones’ death in 1887.
Menzies Marshall depicts the view through one of the Smithfield market arches looking south towards St Paul’s Cathedral with the tower of St Bartholomew the Great in the middle distance.
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