The history of Spitalfields

The history of the area of Spitalfields, is, in essence the history of London. As far back as the 12 century, Spitalfields has been ever changing, always adapting to the new arrivals from the countryside, France, Eastern Europe and now Asia. It is an area that was once a parish outside of London, and then an area that became the hub of the country’s silk trade.

Towards the end of the twelfth century, the area that became known as Spitalfields was pastureland, which was part of the ancient manor of Steben Heath, of which the remainder became known a long time later as Stepney.
In the year 1197 a man called called William Brune founded an Augustinian Priory and hospital in the fields. The hospital was for the poor of the area, and became very well known. The surrounding pastureland quickly became known as the hospital-fields, and over time, “Spitalfields”. The hospital was successful and for two centuries received donations from the people of London and doled out relief to the poor. In 1534, the hospital was dissolved and demolished and the property was surrendered to King Henry VIII. For the next hundred years the land was used by archers and bowmen for practice grounds, and for people to walk in rural surroundings on their way to Bethnal Green.

In the mid seventeenth century, an act of Parliament was passed that enabled a gentleman of the time to build houses and develop the area. This marked a huge change for Spitalfields, and within decade the fields were covered in buildings and streets, and slowly becoming part of London. Looking back, it almost as if the gentleman who developed the land had foreseen what was to come. In 1685 Louis XIV of France revoked the Edict Of Nantes-a law that for the last century had protected the Protestants of France from religious persecution in their overwhelmingly Catholic nation. This began the great tradition of the area, that of being a haven from persecution for refugees. The French Protestants immediately left France, fearing for their lives, and came and settled in London, in Spitalfields. These Protestants were to become known in England as Huguenots.

Many of the Huguenots that immigrated to England were wealthy artisans, skilled in various handicrafts of the time and they brought these skills with them, especially their knowledge of silk weaving. Within fifty years, the Huguenots had made Spitalfields the centre of the silk industry, and the wealth and success of their trade led to many new, grand buildings being erected by wealthy silk merchants. Being the centre of the silk industry, Spitalfields attracted men from all areas of London to work there, and this contributed to periods of unemployment, and unrest amongst workers due to less qualified workers undercutting their prices.