Have you seen Covent Garden in the 1900s?
A Covent Garden back when it was a booming central London marketplace, replete with vegetable stalls, market porters and scandal. Originally developed as one of London’s key vegetable and flower markets, the main hall was built in 1833 and still stands today.
Although Covent Garden initially attracted wealthy residents, the development of the famous marketplace prompted the aristocracy to leave. Replaced by coffee houses and brothels, the area had become a popular red light district and meeting place by the 1700s.
Covent Garden has changed hands many times over the years. It was last sold in 1962, to the Covent Garden Authority for almost £4 million. Due to the effects of traffic congestion in the area, the market was forced to relocate twelve years later to Nine Elms, three miles away. Now known as New Covent Garden Market, it is the largest wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market in the UK.
If you’re trying to imagine what architecture was like in the late 1800s, and can’t quite manage it in Covent Garden, try dropping by 8 Northumberland Avenue. The façade dates from 1887 and the venue locations inside are all prime examples of early 20th century architectural design!