Petticoat Lane Market
London's historic street market where 370 years of commerce, migration, and East End character converge.
One of London's oldest and most vibrant street markets, Petticoat Lane has traded for over 370 years in the heart of Spitalfields. Originally known for second-hand clothes and bargain goods, today it pulses with fashion stalls, textile vendors, street food traders, and independent shops. The market transforms dramatically on Sundays when over a thousand stalls sprawl across Middlesex Street and surrounding lanes, drawing locals and visitors seeking authentic East End character, vintage finds, and multicultural energy.
A brief summary to Petticoat Lane Market
- 119-121 Middlesex St, London, E1 7JF, GB
- +442073641717
- Visit website
- Duration: 1.5 to 4 hours
- Budget
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Outdoor
- Mobile reception: 5 out of 5
- Monday 10 am-4 pm
- Tuesday 10 am-4 pm
- Wednesday 10 am-4 pm
- Thursday 10 am-4 pm
- Friday 10 am-4 pm
- Sunday 9 am-3 pm
Local tips
- Arrive early on Sundays (9am opening) for the best selection and to experience the market before peak crowds. Stall holders begin setting up around 3am and open around 6am, with the most active trading occurring in early morning hours.
- Visit on Friday for a different experience: fewer clothes stalls than Sunday but more food vendors, and a less overwhelming crowd while still maintaining authentic market energy.
- Explore the surrounding lanes and independent shops beyond the main stalls. The market extends across multiple streets including Cobb Street, Leyden Street, and Old Castle Street, each with distinct character and traders.
- The Petticoat Lane Food Court operates Monday to Friday 11am–3pm on Wentworth Street, offering 20 street food vendors. Sunday food options are more limited but still diverse.
- Combine your visit with nearby attractions: Old Spitalfields Market (north), Brick Lane Market (east), and Columbia Road Flower Market are all within walking distance, creating a full day of East End exploration.
For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you
- Restrooms
- Drink Options
- Food Options
- Seating Areas
- Information Boards
Petticoat Lane Market location weather suitability
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Any Weather
Discover more about Petticoat Lane Market
Four Centuries of Commerce and Culture
Petticoat Lane Market traces its roots to the 1650s, making it one of London's oldest surviving markets and a genuine repository of the city's commercial heritage. What began as a rural lane known as Hogs Lane in Tudor times evolved into a thriving commercial district by 1608, when it became known as Peticote Lane—a reference to the second-hand clothes, fabrics, and cheap goods traded there. The market's name persisted for centuries despite an official name change to Middlesex Street around 1830, when Victorian sensibilities deemed "petticoat" too risqué for polite society. The market was not formally recognized by Parliament until 1936, yet its long history as an informal trading ground secured its place as a landmark of London's economic and social life.Waves of Migration and the Textile Tradition
The market's character has been shaped profoundly by successive waves of migration. From the mid-17th century, Huguenot weavers fleeing religious persecution in France settled in nearby Spitalfields, transforming the area into a centre for cloth manufacturing and dyeing. Cloth was pegged out on hooks in surrounding fields known as tentergrounds, establishing textiles as the district's defining trade. Beginning in the 1880s, Eastern European Jewish immigrants arrived in large numbers, many entering the garment industry and maintaining the market's textile traditions. They adapted the chapels previously used by the Huguenot community into synagogues, weaving their own cultural identity into the neighbourhood's fabric. From the 1970s onward, waves of immigration from India and East Asia brought new vitality, with traders introducing West African prints and contemporary fashion alongside traditional goods. This layered history of migration created a uniquely cosmopolitan marketplace where cultures converge and commerce thrives.The Sunday Spectacle and Weekday Rhythm
Today, Petticoat Lane operates as two distinct markets with different characters. Monday to Friday, the market concentrates on Wentworth Street, Goulston Street, and Bell Lane, offering a more intimate shopping experience with fashion stalls, textile vendors, jewellery traders, and a growing food court featuring 20 street food vendors. Sundays transform the entire precinct into a sprawling bazaar where over a thousand stalls blanket Middlesex Street and surrounding lanes—Cobb Street, Leyden Street, New Goulston Street, Old Castle Street, Strype Street, Toynbee Street, and Goulston Street. The Sunday market crackles with energy: fashion and textile stalls dominate, but street food sellers, vintage boutiques, jewellery traders, and independent shops create an eclectic mix. The market closes on Saturdays, preserving the traditional rhythm that has governed East End commerce for generations.A Living Archive of East End Identity
Beyond its commercial function, Petticoat Lane embodies the raw authenticity of East End culture. The market has long attracted characters and traders who define London's street-level economy—from the notorious Victorian fence Ikey Solomon, who operated a jeweller's shop as a front for his criminal enterprise, to the Pearly Kings and jellied-eel vendors captured in 1959 newsreel footage. The market's reputation for bargains and second-hand goods earned it a colourful mythology: one fable claimed traders would "steal your petticoat at one end of the market and sell it back to you at the other." This spirit of resourcefulness and reinvention persists today. In recent years, a formal branding initiative has revitalized the market's presence, celebrating its heritage while positioning it for contemporary relevance. Foot traffic has increased, empty stalls have been occupied, and the market has reclaimed its status as a landmark for both locals and visitors seeking authentic London culture.A Pocket of Multicultural London
Today's Petticoat Lane reflects London's evolving identity. Independent shops, restaurants, market stalls, students, and residents coexist within a landscape dominated by modern skyscrapers, creating a striking contrast between heritage and contemporary urban life. The market remains renowned for textiles and fabrics—particularly West African prints—while also offering fashion, accessories, homewares, and street food. The Petticoat Lane Food Court, which began in 2008 with just three traders, now hosts 20 vendors with a waiting list of new traders eager to join, demonstrating the market's continued vitality and appeal. Whether hunting for vintage finds, sampling international street food, or simply absorbing the energy of one of London's most historic trading spaces, visitors encounter a living archive of East End character and a genuine expression of London's multicultural present.Iconic landmarks you can’t miss
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Petticoat Lane Market
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London's historic street market where 370 years of commerce, migration, and East End character converge.
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For the vibe & atmosphere seeker
- Lively
- Entertaining
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- Unique
- Casual
- Fun-filled
For the design and aesthetic lover
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For the architecture buff
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For the view chaser and sunset hunter
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For the social media creator & influencer
- Instagrammable
- Photo Spots
- Colorful Backdrops
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For the eco-conscious traveler
- Public-Transport Accessible
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For the kind of experience you’re after
- Cultural Heritage
- Photowalk
- Day Trip
- Roadtrip Stop
For how adventurous you want the journey to be
- Easy Access
Location Audience
- Family Friendly
- Solo Friendly
- Couple Friendly
- Teen Friendly
- Senior Friendly
