A Special London Street…
Exmouth Market is one of Central London’s hidden gems, an historic pedestrianised street packed with independent shops, restaurants, cafés and market stalls.
This illuminated letterpress print documents the street’s 400-year history that includes blood sports, a disreputable Victorian tea garden and an atrocious graveyard now buried under the adjacent park. It documents the street's changes up to the present-day, recording over 40 ‘establishments of note’, together with the regular market stalls.
To evoke the character of the market, I based several of the decorated initials, spelling ‘Exmouth’, on the rich assortment of lettering found on the street, while the rest were illustrated to to tell the story of its past.
The type is set in Minion the and makes full use of the typeface’s historical and ornamental characters to enrich the text. The typographic composition allows the narrative to be weaved around the page and create bold dropcaps from the initials.
Print Details
Featured In:
Establishments Noted:
North side: Caravan, Gulshan Tandoori, The Exmouth Arms, SpaceEC1, Brill, Farringdon Locksmith & Tool Shop, G N Furniture, Gail’s Bakery, EC One, Café Kick, Bagman and Robin, Family Tree, Potato Merchant & Santoré.
South side: Paesan, East Central Cycles, The Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer, Big Wheel Theatre Company, The Klinik, Clerkenwell Tales, Morito, Moro, Medcalf, Clark’s Pie & Mash, EXM Hair & Beauty, Pride of Siam, Nécco, McCaul Goldsmiths, Family Business, Hummus Bros, Sweet Boulangerie & Patisserie & Book Ends.
Market Stalls: Spinach & Agushi, Freebird, Sporeboys, The London Brigaderia, Crêpes & Galettes, Spanish Flavours, Simply Thai, The German Barbeque & Ion Patisserie.
Historical locations referenced: The Fountain, London Spaw, The Dog & Duck/ Ducking Pond House, Brayne’s Row, Exmouth Street, The Pantheon, Spa Fields Chapel, Spa Fields Graveyard.
More Lettering & Fonts
The Woman In BlackBook Cover
GlensideBranding
The Paris MysteriesBook Cover
Kelmscott BakehouseBranding
Orvis Brand LetteringBranding
Chocolate AmpersandsPackaging
Casino Royale Limited EditionBook Cover
Rig SansFont
Rig ShadedFont
Brim NarrowFont
SideNoteFont
SpanFont
Rig SolidFont
Tea PatternsPackaging
A History of ChristianityBook Cover
Bière du SoirBranding
SaintsBook Cover
The Folio Diary 2022Book Cover
Ghost LettersBook Cover
Use my fonts free with an Adobe subsciption or purchase from a reputable foundry partner.
For occasional updates, subscribe to my newsletter.
© 2023 Jamie Clarke Type LTD and contributors | The Hive, Bristol, BS39 4JJ, United Kingdom