The Cornmarket, St Martin's and the Eastern City

The north-east quarter of the city enclosed by the city walls was still being developed in 1250. St Martin's church came first (centre, top), and was probably there by c.1000; so too probably was St Swithin's church. Mealcheapen (Old English for corn market) was probably a road of Saxon origin, but new houses were still being built on it as well as along the Shambles (then known as the Bakers' Street). The Corn Market itself was probably laid out when the city wall was built through the area c.1200, and is another sign that the medieval city economy had outgrown the old Saxon marketing area along the High Street.