Smithfield Market

Lonely Planet review

Smithfield is central London's last surviving meat market. Its name derives from it being a smooth field where animals could be grazed, although its history is far from pastoral. Built on the site of the notorious St Bartholomew's fair, where witches were traditionally burned at the stake, this is where Scottish Independence leader William Wallace was executed in 1305 (there's a large plaque on the wall of St Bart's Hospital south of the market).

It's also the place where the leader of the Peasants' Revolt Wat Tyler met his fate in 1381. Described in terms of pure horror by Dickens in Oliver Twist, this was once the armpit of London, where animal excrement and entrails created a sea of filth. Today it's an increasingly smart area full of bars, and the market itself is a wonderful building, although one constantly under threat of destruction and redevelopment into office blocks.