Despite past fears that growing shopping facilities would swamp the market traders and their stalls, 'Surrey Street Market' survives as a colorful place that is full of character. The hustle and bustle of the Croydon we know today makes it hard to imagine the rural hamlet the town once was. However, segments of local history seep through the cracks of every building and live on in the hearts of traders, and the traditional market continues to thrive amid the concrete jungle. Its official history begins in 1276 when Croydon was granted its first market. Croydon Palace (now known as 'Old Palace') was then a retreat for Archbishops and Edward the 1st issued the Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Kilward by, with a charter authorising him to hold a weekly Wednesday market and a nine-day fair beginning on the eve of St. Botolph in June. A second charter, for a Thursday cattle market and a three-day fair in September was issued in 1314 followed by a third for a Saturday market and a one-day 'Cherry Fair' on 24th June, in 1343.

This fair lasted for 510 years, being abolished in 1853 following a fatal accident there. These events all took place on the triangular site bounded by Surrey Street, Crown Hill and the High Street. 'Surrey Street Market,' has had a succession of names over the years. It has been known as 'The Shambles,' 'The Flesh' and 'Butcher Row'. Not surprisingly, meat was sold in 'Butcher Row', which is now modern Surrey Street, and corn was sold on the High Street side. There was also a 'Butter Market' in the High Street, where dairy products and eggs could be bought and sold and in the middle of this market triangle was a small 'Fish Market'. Croydon began to prosper as a thriving market town and parts of the market activity moved inside the Town Hall after it was rebuilt in 1809. The ground floor of the new building held the 'Corn Market', which was periodically cleared and converted into a Criminal Court for judicial proceedings. These new arrangements meant the authorities could regulate the market more closely than before. In 1861, Croydon's period of urbanisation meant the main market was moved to a Thursday to coincide with the 'Cattle Market', in the hope of drawing more customers.

However, this did not stop the decline the market was facing and it was squeezed out of the Town Hall and moved into a single room in the King's Arms Hotel. When the current Town Hall opened in 1896, the complex included a small Corn Exchange in Katharine Street. This ceased trading after just 11 years due to unpopularity. Corn dealing returned to the King's Arms on a smaller scale, before disappearing entirely from Croydon in about 1915. The Cattle Market closed permanently in 1935, due to the declining importance of agriculture to the region, but to this day, certain properties on Surrey Street retain the pre-1834 name of 'Butcher Row.' There used to be hooks and rails beneath the galleried upper floors of the buildings from which the meat carcasses were hung. The Surrey Street Market that exists to this day dates from 1922, when the Council first approved it as a six-day event running from Monday to Saturday. It was in the 1960s that Croydon experienced its next major bout of regeneration and development. Croydon became a modern business and shopping centre and Surrey Street's reputation suffered in comparison. Despite facing accusations that it was outdated, the market survived and remains a feature of the town centre and in 1997, trading began on Sundays. The market provides residents and visitors with a traditional bustling and lively experience. Selling mainly meat, fruit and vegetables, the stalls also offer clothes, household goods, flowers and plants. Over the years, the market has had its fair share of excitement. On May 14th 1982, The Croydon Advertiser reported a 'runaway truck' that rolled down the hill and smashed into a vegetable barrow. On 29th November 1994, the market was honoured to receive a visit from Prince Charles, who was 'clearly fascinated by the lively scene'. More recently, the market can be seen regularly on 'The Bill' and was used as the prime location for one of Mika's pop videos - the numerous dancers brought local traffic to a standstill on the day. When you next visit the energetic Surrey Street Market, why not look up to see if you can spot the history concealed in the surrounding buildings. You may get a sense of market life from hundreds of years ago.

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