Records from 1014 list the market as selling fish, grain and cattle, as well as fruit and vegetables, and attracting traders from all over Europe.
These days the market still focuses on the sale of wholesale fruit and vegetables and is busiest between 2am and 9am each morning as hoteliers and greengrocers buy their goods from traders. However, there is now also a popular gourmet food market open to the public, selling fresh produce including fish, meats, vegetables, ciders, cheeses, breads, coffees, cakes and patisseries.
The public market is open most days, from morning to evening, and is a popular place to eat.
Borough Market is called “London’s Larder” because at the height of the Victorian era most of the food imported to London arrived nearby (on ships and by train) and was traded here.
The market has its own “police force”, the Beadles, who until the 1930s used to have powers of arrest and put offenders in the cells under the market (recently re-discovered).
You can visit borough market on the cultural walk.