Spitalfields’ name comes from “St Mary Spittel,” the priory and hospital established in 1197, which stood just outside the City of London’s walls. The area remained relatively rural until the Great Fire of London, after which traders and immigrants began settling in the fields around the priory, giving rise to its markets and street layout.
Spitalfields became a hub for textile and silk weaving, largely due to the influx of Huguenot refugees, reflected in many surviving houses’ distinct weavers’ lofts and large attic windows.
The street pattern features narrow lanes, courtyards, and almshouses, much of which survives amid newer developments, offering a rare glimpse into the historic layout of inner London