St Mary le Bow on Cheapside in about the year 1500, 1740 and in 1880
Imagine standing in front of St Mary le Bow on Cheapside in about the year 1500. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Taste? Feel? Imagine the same walk in 1740 and again in 1880? How has the experience changed?
St Mary-le-Bow is a historic parish situated in the City of London, United Kingdom, on the main street east-west thoroughfare, Cheapside. According to custom and tradition, a true Cockney has to be born within earshot sound of the bells of the church. The sound of the bells are accredited with having persuaded Dick Whittington to turn back from Highgate and remain in the City of London and become Lord Mayor (Keene & Harding, 1987). It was founded in or around 1080 and has been re-designed many times. The purpose of this paper is to depict what I could see, hear, smell and taste when standing in front of St Mary-le-Bow in about the years 1500, 1740 and again in 1880.
In about the year 1500
Almost opposite of the church I can see the Tanners’ Seld. The most remarkable feature of the London tanners’ community in the early sixteenth century was the establishment commonly known as the Tanners’ Seld in Cheapside. It is almost opposite the St Mary le Bow church (Keene & Harding, 1987). Keene and Harding pointed out that during the late 15th century and early 16th century, Cheapside was the city’s main commercial street and it contained a lively street market, largely in foodstuffs, with both ambulatory and sedentary traders. Moreover, it was also the principle retail trading district, particularly for luxury goods (1987). As I stand in front of the church and look almost in the opposite direction, I see Cheapside street market. Tons of produce are brought here every day. I can see traders such as tanners, fishmongers and cornmongers in the lively street market of Cheapside selling their wares. They are in several hundred small shops. I hear the traders and business people as they engage in their trade and commerce activities. I can smell the corn and fish from the cornmongers and fishmongers. Moreover, I can also taste the inviting foodstuff being sold at the market including fish and corn. The market is considerably large.
In about the year 1740
During the same walk in about 1740, I could see some clear changes. In the 1700s, Cheapside market in London almost opposite St Mary le Bow church had become somewhat smaller compared to how it was in 1500 (Keene & Harding, 1987). I could hear chaos in the market and see corrupt dealings going on among the traders in the busy street market. Corruption, chaos and disorganization were greatly impacting on this market and as such, it was not as thriving as it used to be formerly. It had become a place not only of trade, but also vice (Keene & Harding, 1987). As I walked around, I could see visible gossip of women in the market. The tons of produce that used to be brought here by many and diverse traders in the year 1500 had significantly reduced. Unlike in 1500 where most traders were tanners, fishmongers and cornmongers, a vast majority of traders at this time were green-grocers.
In about 1880
By 1880, the street market in Cheapside was no more, and as I walk and look around, I can conclude it is just a simple street, although the street has retained its former name – Cheapside. There was no street market that held tons of produce every day, a market that was the largest in London. I can hear some elderly couple and two other pedestrians who were walking close to me talking about how great the street market in Cheapside used to be in the 16th century. However, St Mary le Bow church was still intact.
Reference
Keene, D.J., & Harding, V. (1987). British History Online. Retrieved from http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=8468
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