{{infobox CoL|
   |Ward=              Billingsgate
   |Latitude=          51.50856489233014
   |Longitude=         -0.07969934295572622
   |GridReference=     TQ332806
   |PostCode=          [[London EC3|EC3]]           
}}
[[Image:Billingsgate Cartographer; Blome, RichardSurveyor; Stow, John 1720.jpg|thumb|275px|Billingsgate Ward in 1720.]]
'''Billingsgate''' is a ward in the south-east of the [[City of London]], lying on the north bank of the [[River Thames]] between [[London Bridge]] and [[Tower Bridge]].

The ward included part of the old [[London]] docks, notably Billingsgate Wharf, close to [[Lower Thames Street]], whose neighbouring streets became a fish [[market]] during the [[16th century|16th]] and [[17th century|17th centuries]].

[[Billingsgate Fish Market]] was formally established by an Act of [[Parliament]] in [[1699]] to be "a free and open market for all sorts of fish whatsoever."<ref>{{cite journal | month = January | year = 2005 | title = Lox, Stock and Barrel | author = Billie Cohen | journal = National Geographic Magazine |}} </ref>. In [[1849]], the fish market was moved off the streets into its own riverside building, which was subsequently demolished (c. [[1873]]) and replaced by an arcaded market hall (designed by City [[architect]] [[Horace Jones]]) in [[1875]].

In [[1982]], the fish market was relocated to a new building close to [[Canary Wharf]] in east London. The [[Old Billingsgate Market|original riverside market hall building]] was then refurbished (by architect Lord [[Richard Rogers]]) to provide office accommodation.

The raucous cries of the fish vendors gave rise to "billingsgate" as a synonym for profanity or offensive language. [http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/archive/2006/06/12.html]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==

*[http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4E0B0744-577E-4E5F-A5F4-25E3B6DC5F09/0/billingsgate.jpg Ward map]

[[Category:Wards of the City of London]]


[[he:בילינגסגייט]]