St John's Market, situated between Great Charlotte Street and Market Street, opened in 1822 and was one of the largest of the nineteenth-century. American painter and naturalist, John James Audubon (1785-1851), wrote in 1826:
"The new market is in my opinion, an object worth the attention of all traveller strangers. It is thus far the finest I have ever seen."
Designed by the architect John Foster junior (c1787-1846), St John's covered almost two acres, with 136 classical arched window bays, supported by 116 interior cast-iron pillars. The interior of the market was divided into five shopping avenues, lined with stalls which corresponded to groupings of food.

Image details: J Hamilton Hay