Hungerford Market
Encyclopedia
Hungerford Market was a market
in London
, near Charing Cross
on the Strand
, housed in two different buildings on the same site from around 1680 to 1862. The first market was held from about 1680 in a London house of the Hungerford family. This building became dilapidated, and was replaced by a new Italianate
market building which opened in 1833. The new market was unsuccessful. It was damaged when the adjoining Hungerford Hall
burned down in 1854, and was sold to the South Eastern Railway
in 1862. Charing Cross railway station
was built on the site and opened in 1864.
near Bath, since it was acquired by Sir Walter Hungerford
, Speaker of the House of Commons
and Steward of the Household of Henry V
(later Baron Hungerford
) from Sir Robert Chalons and his wife Blanche in 1425. By 1444, it was known as "Hungerford Inn". His grandson, Robert Hungerford
, and great-grandson, Thomas Hungerford, were both attainted
for supporting the Lancastrian
cause, in 1461 and 1469 respectively.
Henry VII
granted the land back to Walter Hungerford
, Thomas's brother. His daughter-in law, Agnes Hungerford, was hanged at Tyburn
in 1523, for the murder of her first husband, John Cotell. His grandson, also Walter, was accused of treason and perversion in 1540, and Henry VIII
had him executed alongside his patron Thomas Cromwell
. His son, another Walther, was regranted the property in 1544. It passed through the family to Sir Edward Hungerford (1632–1711), a Knight of the Order of the Bath
at the coronation of Charles II
.
Samuel Pepys
records in his diary that another London house owned by the Hungerfords, in Durham Yard, burned down overnight on 25 April/26 April 1669.
, formed the market. Hungerford sold the site in parcels to the politician Sir Stephen Fox
from 1681 to 1684. Sir Christopher Wren
bought a quarter of the property, and was entitled to a quarter of the rents. The spendthrift Hungerford wasted his money, dying a poor Knight of Windsor in 1711. The old market was sold to architect Henry Wise in 1718, and remained in Wise's family until the Hungerford Market Company bought it in 1830.
, also architect of Covent Garden Market. The building partners Thomas Grissell
and Samuel Morton Peto
, who also built Nelson's Column
, the Reform Club
, and the Lyceum Theatre, constructed the building.
Under one roof were three large quadrangles, with shops on each side. The market sold food of all sorts - mainly fish, but also fruit, vegetables, and meat - with a landing stage on the north bank of the River Thames
, by Hungerford Steps. The market did not specialise in one product, and found itself unable to challenge the other markets, such as Billingsgate Market, and Covent Garden Market nearby.
A suspension bridge
leading to the market from Lambeth
on the south bank of the Thames was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
in 1845, and a hall for lectures, Hungerford Hall
, was built next door in 1851. The same year, Swiss-Italian entrepreneur Carlo Gatti
opened a stand at the market in 1851, selling pastries and ice cream. A portion of ice cream
was sold for one penny served in a shell, perhaps the origin of the penny lick
. This was perhaps the first time that ice cream was made available to the paying general public.
in 1862, and the site became Charing Cross railway station
, which opened on 11 January 1864. The original suspension bridge was replaced with a new nine-span railway bridge
. The original bridge was dismantled and the chains were taken to Clifton, Bristol
, where they were used to complete the Clifton Suspension Bridge
.
The Hungerford family are commemorated in the name of the Hungerford Bridge
, which leads into Charing Cross, from the south bank of the river.
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, near Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
on the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
, housed in two different buildings on the same site from around 1680 to 1862. The first market was held from about 1680 in a London house of the Hungerford family. This building became dilapidated, and was replaced by a new Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
market building which opened in 1833. The new market was unsuccessful. It was damaged when the adjoining Hungerford Hall
Hungerford Hall
Hungerford Hall was a lecture theatre built beside Hungerford Market near Charing Cross in London in 1851. It was used for public entertainments, including demonstrations of magic, mesmerism and optical illusions. It burned down in 1854, badly damaging the adjoining Hungerford...
burned down in 1854, and was sold to the South Eastern Railway
South Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
in 1862. Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
was built on the site and opened in 1864.
The site
The site was the property of the Hungerford family, who were based at Farleigh Hungerford CastleFarleigh Hungerford Castle
Farleigh Hungerford Castle, sometimes called Farleigh Castle or Farley Castle, is a medieval castle in Farleigh Hungerford, Somerset, England. The castle was built in two phases: the inner court was constructed between 1377 and 1383 by Sir Thomas Hungerford, who made his fortune working as a...
near Bath, since it was acquired by Sir Walter Hungerford
Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford
Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford KG was an English knight, landowner, from 1400 to 1414 Member of the House of Commons, of which he became Speaker, then was an Admiral and peer....
, Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
and Steward of the Household of Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
(later Baron Hungerford
Baron Hungerford
The Barony of Hungerford was created in the Peerage of England on 7 January 1426 for Walter Hungerford, who was summoned to parliament, had been Member of Parliament, Speaker of the House and invested as Knight of the Order of the Garter before and was made Lord High Treasurer one year before he...
) from Sir Robert Chalons and his wife Blanche in 1425. By 1444, it was known as "Hungerford Inn". His grandson, Robert Hungerford
Robert Hungerford, 3rd Baron Hungerford
Robert Hungerford, 3rd Baron Hungerford was son and heir of Robert Hungerford, 2nd Baron Hungerford, and was grandson of Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford . He supported the Lancastrians cause in the War of the Roses. In the late 1440s and early 1450s he was a member of successive parliaments...
, and great-grandson, Thomas Hungerford, were both attainted
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
for supporting the Lancastrian
Lancastrian
Lancastrian is an adjective describing:* A native or inhabitant of Lancashire* A partisan on the side of the House of Lancaster in the Wars of the Roses.* A person associated with Lancaster University....
cause, in 1461 and 1469 respectively.
Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
granted the land back to Walter Hungerford
Walter Hungerford
Walter Hungerford may refer to:*Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford, d.1449, English nobleman and Speaker of the House of Commons*Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford of Heytesbury, 1503–1540, first person in England to be executed under secular anti-homosexuality laws*Sir Walter Hungerford...
, Thomas's brother. His daughter-in law, Agnes Hungerford, was hanged at Tyburn
Tyburn, London
Tyburn was a village in the county of Middlesex close to the current location of Marble Arch in present-day London. It took its name from the Tyburn or Teo Bourne 'boundary stream', a tributary of the River Thames which is now completely covered over between its source and its outfall into the...
in 1523, for the murder of her first husband, John Cotell. His grandson, also Walter, was accused of treason and perversion in 1540, and Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
had him executed alongside his patron Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, , was an English statesman who served as chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 to 1540....
. His son, another Walther, was regranted the property in 1544. It passed through the family to Sir Edward Hungerford (1632–1711), a Knight of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
at the coronation of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
records in his diary that another London house owned by the Hungerfords, in Durham Yard, burned down overnight on 25 April/26 April 1669.
First market
Sir Edward Hungerford obtained permission to hold a market on the site for three days a week. Hungerford Inn was subdivided into shops, and, with a covered piazzaPiazza
A piazza is a city square in Italy, Malta, along the Dalmatian coast and in surrounding regions. The term is roughly equivalent to the Spanish plaza...
, formed the market. Hungerford sold the site in parcels to the politician Sir Stephen Fox
Stephen Fox
Sir Stephen Fox was an English politician.-Life:Stephen Fox was the son of William Fox, of Farley, in Wiltshire, a yeoman farmer...
from 1681 to 1684. Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
bought a quarter of the property, and was entitled to a quarter of the rents. The spendthrift Hungerford wasted his money, dying a poor Knight of Windsor in 1711. The old market was sold to architect Henry Wise in 1718, and remained in Wise's family until the Hungerford Market Company bought it in 1830.
Second market
By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the old market was very dilapidated. It was rebuilt in 1831 to 1833 in an Italianate style to a design by Charles FowlerCharles Fowler
Charles Fowler , English architect, was born at Cullompton, Devon.After serving an apprenticeship of seven years with John Powning of Exeter, he went to London in 1814, and entered the office of David Laing, where he remained until he commenced practice for himself...
, also architect of Covent Garden Market. The building partners Thomas Grissell
Thomas Grissell
Thomas Grissell was an English public works contractor who was responsible for constructing a number of prestigious buildings in England.-Early life and education:...
and Samuel Morton Peto
Samuel Morton Peto
Sir Samuel Morton Peto, 1st Baronet was an English entrepreneur and civil engineer in the 19th century. A partner in Grissell and Peto, he managed construction firms that built many major buildings and monuments in London...
, who also built Nelson's Column
Nelson's Column
Nelson's Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in central London built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The monument was constructed between 1840 and 1843 to a design by William Railton at a cost of £47,000. It is a column of the Corinthian...
, the Reform Club
Reform Club
The Reform Club is a gentlemen's club on the south side of Pall Mall, in central London. Originally for men only, it changed to include the admission of women in 1981. In 2011 the subscription for membership of the Reform Club as a full UK member is £1,344.00, with a one-off entrance fee of £875.00...
, and the Lyceum Theatre, constructed the building.
Under one roof were three large quadrangles, with shops on each side. The market sold food of all sorts - mainly fish, but also fruit, vegetables, and meat - with a landing stage on the north bank of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, by Hungerford Steps. The market did not specialise in one product, and found itself unable to challenge the other markets, such as Billingsgate Market, and Covent Garden Market nearby.
A suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
leading to the market from Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
on the south bank of the Thames was built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
in 1845, and a hall for lectures, Hungerford Hall
Hungerford Hall
Hungerford Hall was a lecture theatre built beside Hungerford Market near Charing Cross in London in 1851. It was used for public entertainments, including demonstrations of magic, mesmerism and optical illusions. It burned down in 1854, badly damaging the adjoining Hungerford...
, was built next door in 1851. The same year, Swiss-Italian entrepreneur Carlo Gatti
Carlo Gatti
Carlo Gatti was a Swiss entrepreneur in the Victorian era. He came to England in 1847, where he established restaurants and an ice importing business. He is credited with first making ice cream available to the general public. He moved into music halls. He returned to Switzerland in 1871, leaving...
opened a stand at the market in 1851, selling pastries and ice cream. A portion of ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
was sold for one penny served in a shell, perhaps the origin of the penny lick
Penny lick
A penny lick was a small glass for serving ice cream from the mid nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Street vendors would sell the contents of the glass for one penny. The glass was usually made with a thick glass base and a shallow depression on top in which the ice cream was placed...
. This was perhaps the first time that ice cream was made available to the paying general public.
Charing Cross railway station
The new Hungerford Market was badly damaged when Hungerford Hall burned down in 1854. The market was sold to South Eastern RailwaySouth Eastern Railway (UK)
The South Eastern Railway was a railway company in south-eastern England from 1836 until 1922. The company was formed to construct a route from London to Dover. Branch lines were later opened to Tunbridge Wells, Hastings, Canterbury and other places in Kent...
in 1862, and the site became Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station
Charing Cross railway station, also known as London Charing Cross, is a central London railway terminus in the City of Westminster, England. It is one of 18 stations managed by Network Rail, and trains serving it are operated by Southeastern...
, which opened on 11 January 1864. The original suspension bridge was replaced with a new nine-span railway bridge
Hungerford Bridge
The Hungerford Bridge crosses the River Thames in London, and lies between Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge. It is a steel truss railway bridge—sometimes known as the Charing Cross Bridge—flanked by two more recent, cable-stayed, pedestrian bridges that share the railway bridge's...
. The original bridge was dismantled and the chains were taken to Clifton, Bristol
Clifton, Bristol
Clifton is a suburb of the City of Bristol in England, and the name of both one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells...
, where they were used to complete the Clifton Suspension Bridge
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Brunel died in 1859, without seeing the completion of the bridge. Brunel's colleagues in the Institution of Civil Engineers felt that completion of the Bridge would be a fitting memorial, and started to raise new funds...
.
The Hungerford family are commemorated in the name of the Hungerford Bridge
Hungerford Bridge
The Hungerford Bridge crosses the River Thames in London, and lies between Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge. It is a steel truss railway bridge—sometimes known as the Charing Cross Bridge—flanked by two more recent, cable-stayed, pedestrian bridges that share the railway bridge's...
, which leads into Charing Cross, from the south bank of the river.