Every May from the late 17th century, Londoners thronged to a fair at Brook Field, now Shepherd Market. Chewing lightly spiced gingerbread, still warm to the touch, they watched puppet shows, cheered on bare-knuckle fights and ooh-ed and ah-ed at tight-rope walkers. The May Fair offered an unbeatable day out.
By the second half of the 18th century, the fair had been abolished – wealthy residents, who had recently moved in, complained it was unbearably raucous. The wider district was to start a new chapter as Mayfair, more like the place we know today. This affluent area in central London is bordered on the north by Oxford Street, the east by Regent Street, the south by Piccadilly and the west by Park Lane.
As Monopoly players know, property here is…
