308 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 8. 
Covent-garden market lias many associations connected 
with it, apart from its character as the first fruit and flower 
market in the world. On these associations—antiquarian, 
political, literary, convivial, or theatrical—it is not my inten¬ 
tion to dwell, nor even to allude to them further than they 
may be useful to elucidate my subject. 
Covent - garden occupies the site of the old Convent 
Garden of Westminster Abbey. Perhaps no other church 
lands, after their alienation, and after a lapse of years, have 
been applied to a purpose (unconnected with religion) so 
little alien from their original uses. Where the monks 
grew their comparatively rude fruits and savoury herbs—for 
flowers were little cultivated in those days—the choicest 
fruits, and the profusion of vegetables that adorn the tables 
of the rich, or stock those of the poor, are sold. These 
convent lands, after the attainder of the Protector Somerset, 
their first possessor from Henry VIII., were granted by 
Edward VI. in 1552 to John, Earl of Bedford; but it was 
not until two centuries later that Covent-garden market 
j even approached to its present unrivalled celebrity. 
I In the old times, the principal London market was Stocks 
j market, so called from the stocks—then a common mode of 
I punishment in London, as it was in different parts of the 
country until the. last generation—being placed there. This 
market was established by Wallis, Lord Mayor of London, in 
1282, for the sale of fish and flesh. How long it was de¬ 
voted to that purpose is not known, probably until the great 
fire in 1600. Strypc, between 1090 and 1700, describes it as 
a place for the sale, not of fish and flesh, but of “ fruits, 
roots, and herbs, for which it is very considerable and much 
resorted unto, being of note for having the choicest in their 
kind of all sorts, surpassing all other markets in London.” 
Stocks market was pulled down in 1737, and afforded the site 
of the present Mansion-house. The market was transferred 
to the space which now constitutes the middle of Farringdon- 
street, whence in 1829 it was transferred to the present Far- 
ringdon-mnrket. v 
The square (or piazza) of Covent-garden is the oldest 
square in London. It dates from 1631, and was built at 
the cost of the then Earl of Bedford, from the designs of 
Inigo Jones, but Jones’s original plan was never fully carried 
out. It is an oblong of 500 feet by 400. The south side 
was occupied by the garden wall by Bedford House (the 
town residence of tlie family until 170-4, when they removed 
to Bedford House, Bloomsbury, which was pulled down in 
1800), and over this wall hung “ trees most pleasant in the 
summer season.” The square became fashionable, and 
persons resorted to it to sell fruit and flowers under the 
shelter of those trees. Thus originated the market, and its 
increase, notwithstanding the superiority of Stocks market, 
must have been somewhat rapid, as on the 12tli May, 1671, 
Charles II. did “give and grant” unto the Earl of Bedford, 
“ by letters patent, the right for ever to have, hold, and keep 
a market ” in the place call the Piazza of Covent-garden, 
“ for the buying and selling of all fruits, flowers, roots, and 
herbs whatsoever.” Covent-garden market furnishes one of 
the many instances how “ most poor matters point to rich 
ends,” for Maitland, some 200 years or more back, mentions 
that in the square of Covent-garden, “ to its great disgrace,” 
was a fruit-market! During the infancy of Covent-garden 
market flourished another of the same description—that of 
Honey-lane, Cheapside. It was instituted after the great 
fire, and erected on the ground of one of the burnt churches, 
not rebuilt—that of Allhallows, Honey-lane. This market 
•was abolished in 1835, and the ground is now occupied by 
the City of London School. Covent-garden market was 
brought into charge to the poor’s rate in 1679, when 23 
salesmen were rated at 2s. or Is. each. The market is now 
rated at T4,800. From this time the progress of the market 
was slow until the removal of Stocks market and the open¬ 
ing of Westminster-bridge (in 1750), gave a great impetus 
to the traffic of Covent-garden. The area of the market, how- 
■ ever, was incommodious and uncleanly, and although an act 
I was passed in the 53rd year of George III., “ for regulating 
Covent-garden market,” it was found inefficient, and the old 
open shed and wooden structures, with their concomitant 
nuisances, were swept away and the present improvements 
established in 1830, under the authority of 9th George IV., 
session 1828, Mr. Fowler being the architect. 
The market is now apportioned into the "yearly cart 
stands,” “ potato stands,” “ fruit market,” “flower stands,” 
“ casual cart stands,” and “ yearly pitching stands,” with j 
proper footpaths and gangways. It is approached by Great 
ltussell-street, James-street, King-street, Henrietta-street, ! 
and Southampton-street, Strand. On each side of the ex¬ 
terior of the market is the space for carts, waggons, and 
general traffic. The exterior is devoted to casual and yearly ! 
cart stands, potato stands, and (at the eastern extremity 
only) flower stands. Within the two exterior lines which 
run parallel with Long-acre and the Strand, are rows of ! 
shops, forming the outward walls of the market, beyond 
which the roof projects considerably. Immediately within 
the line parallel with Long-acre, and nearest Great Russell- 1 
street, is the fruit market, aud a space of equal width and 
about three-fourths of the length is devoted to pitching 
stands. In the middle, from Great Russell-street to St. j 
Paul’s Church, which stands midway between King-street 
and Henrietta-strcet, stretches the avenue, where, in hand¬ 
some shops, tastefully and temptingly arranged, are dis¬ 
played the choicest native and exotic fruits and flowers, 
with a proportion of gold fish, silkworms, nets, labels, and 
anything proper for gardens. The space between the cen¬ 
tral avenue and the exterior line of shops, towards the 
Strand, is occupied by yearly pitching.stands. At the Great 
Russell-street end are two conservatories above the shops. 
The purpose of these several arrangements is shown in the 
following digest of the schedule of tolls, rents, &c., which 
shows, moreover, by their minute specifications, the im¬ 
portance and value of the market:— 
“ The Casual Cart Stands. —Every waggon containing' 
wholly or principally carrots, or the contents thereof pitched ' 
or exposed for sale, Is. 6d. Every other waggon containing 
fruit, flowers, vegetables, roots, or herbs, Is. Every cart 
containing wholly or principally carrots, Is. Every other 
cart containing fruit, Ac., 4d. Each stand on which any 
person shall place or sell any fruit, &c., such person not being 
the grower, nor the person by, for, or to whom the same 
shall be brought, Is. per day. Each stand used or occupied 
otherwise, Is. per day. 
“ Yearly Cart Stands. —Each stand let, for every square 
foot superficial, Is. per annum. Fruit, flowers, &c., not the 
growth of the holder, Is. per waggon, 4d. per cart. Each 
stand used otherwise, Is. per day. 
“The Potato Stands. —Each stand let, for every'square 
foot superficial, Is. per annum ; in addition to such rent, 
for every sack of potatoes placed or sold, 2d.; per ton for 
any greater or less quantity than a sack, Is. 2d. For pota¬ 
toes, placed or sold by any person, not the holder, 2d. per 
sack and Is. 2d. per ton.—( Morning Chronicle.) 
(To be continued.) 
TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
*** tVe request that no one will write to the departmental writers of 
The Cottage Gardener. It gives them unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. All communications should be addressed “ To the Editor of 
The Cottage Gardener, 2, Amen Corner, Paternoster Row, London.” 
Planting Vines in Vinery (An Amateur). —Plant all the Vines on 
an inside border. They never should be planted outside if it can be 
avoided. 
Shanghae Pullets Paralysed (W. Groves).—' Treat them exactly 
as vertigo was recommended to be treated in a recent number of The 
Cottage Gardener. 
Dorkings (J. Green). —Write to any one who has taken prizes for 
Dorking chickens at recent exhibitions. 
Insects (J. W. C. Hanwetl). —They are a species of ant. Disturb 
their nests, and dose them with Scotch snuff until they are destroyed or 
banished. 
Neapolitan Geese.— A Subscriber wishes to know where these can 
be procured. 
Names oe Plants (H. G. M.). —Your plant is- Impatiens glan- 
duliferu. It forms a noble autumn-flowering group in borders and 
plantations. Sec what Senilis says to-day about it. (Bretingbys 
Cottage). —The annual is Gysophila viscosu, or Clammy Gysophila ; and 
the sweet-scented perennial is the Costmary, Balsamita vulgaris. 
London: Printed by Harry Wooldridge, Winchester High-street, 
in the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar; and Published by William 
Somerville Orr, of Church Hill, Walthamstow, in the County of 
Essex, at the Office, No. 2, Amen Corner, in the Parish of Christ 
Church, City of London.—August 8th, 1854. 
