Clerkenwell history. ^ Hill, Cate (20 February 2013).

Clerkenwell history. Clerkenwell (old) Prison, also known as the Clerkenwell House of Detention or Middlesex House of Detention[3] was a prison in Clerkenwell, London, opened in 1847 and demolished in 1890. The vestry had growing secular authority over the parish with the relief of the poor its main responsibility. It was built in 1504 by Prior Thomas Docwra as the south entrance to the inner precinct of Clerkenwell Priory, the English headquarters of the Knights Jun 25, 2025 · Survey of London: Volume 47, Northern Clerkenwell and Pentonville. May 16, 2022 · Did you know that Clerkenwell is famous for more than its trendy bars? Discover the secrets of its mediaeval past and the famous Clerks' Well. Jul 6, 2025 · With the growth of Clerkenwell and Islington the question of expanding the school was raised, but this had to wait until a ruling by Chancery as to whether revenues intended for the almshouses (deriving from the now very lucrative Clerkenwell property) might be diverted to the school (whose endowment property in Essex provided meagre returns). What began as an unassuming stretch of land, occupied by gardens and modest dwellings, evolved into a bustling urban artery, bearing witness to the ebb and flow of time and people. The Order was above the nobility and answered directly to the Pope. Visit us to explore millions of historical manuscripts, maps, photographs, books and films or enjoy our exhibitions, events and workshops. Aug 16, 2022 · Brewery Square is the most dramatic and extensive of the developments in the Clerkenwell area. Exmouth Market is a semi- pedestrianised street in Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington, and the location of an outdoor street market of 32 stalls. Britton Street, or at least the northern half, was soon established as one of the best residential addresses in Clerkenwell, but by the latter part of the century most of the houses were in the occupation of craftsmen and tradesmen, particularly clock- and watchmakers and cabinet-makers; several of the surviving old houses have attic 'watchmaker' windows. View of the main building of City, University of London, from Northampton Square. Italian Ice Cream Seller Clerkenwell Green (Islington Local History Centre) Swiss-Italian entrepreneur Carlo Gatti arrived in Little Italy in 1847 and is credited with making coffee, chocolate and ice cream available to the average Victorian customer. National Heritage List for England. Jun 14, 2021 · ‘Clerkenwell was right outside the London city walls, but close enough to it, so was ideal for monasteries. [1] Aug 30, 2017 · The history of Clerkenwell has, of course, been greatly influenced by the large religious houses within her boundaries. This date is referenced on Booth’s label and makes Booth’s the oldest gin brand still in existence. It runs north–south from Clerkenwell Road in the north, to Cowcross Street in the south. 16th century until 1900. The church of St James in Clerkenwell Close and nearby Clerkenwell Green sit at the centre of Clerkenwell. But does Little Italy still exist? The Betsey Trotwood is a much-loved Victorian pub in the historic district of Clerkenwell in central London. For most of its history the firm's factory and main office was at 38-39 Clerkenwell Close, described in the 1850s as being 'situated in the very heart of the London watch and clock trade'. nb2001085190; Wood, Edward J. During the Elizabethan era, under the name Turnbull Street Jul 12, 2025 · Northampton Square was laid out in 1803–4 and building work on the houses began in 1805 under both Samuel Danford and Thomas Woollcott, on the south parts of the east and west sides, from which Nos 22–25 survive (Ill. Most of the site is occupied by the late Victorian buildings of the former Hugh Myddelton School, one of the largest board schools to be built in London, latterly a further Italian ice cream sellers were a common sight in an around Clerkenwell Green. Jan 15, 2024 · St John's Gate in London is one of the few tangible remains from Clerkenwell's monastic past. May 21, 2024 · Clerkenwell Design Week, in London, started quietly in 2009 to celebrate design in the revived district, and reached 35,000 visitors and 600 events Northampton Square. Jul 6, 2025 · Details the architectural history of the north-western portion of the historic parish of Clerkenwell. It also housed watchmaking companies, brothels and prisons. The Augustinian Nunnery of St Mary was founded in about 114o by Jorden de Briset, the lord of Clerkenwell Manor (he also founded the… Clerkenwell is home to more creative businesses and architects per square mile than anywhere else on the planet, making it truly one of the most important design hubs in the world. A stroll downhill from Penton Street along Donegal Street and Collier Street, which together constitute an east-west spine for this area, unfolds a miscellany of housing estates, schools and other Myddelton Square Myddelton Square, the largest square in Central London 's Clerkenwell, is a residential public garden square of the 1820s to 1840s, with playground, with many trees; its houses are built with exposed brickwork, Georgian style, with high-ceilinged ground and first-floor storeys. West of Farringdon Road 6. Each event includes a short introduction to a part of Clerkenwell's rich history, followed by a chance to get hands-on with historical maps and related materials. ^ Hill, Cate (20 February 2013). May 20, 2016 · The Church of St James, which stands just to the north of Clerkenwell Green, is all that remains today of the medieval nunnery which once occupied a large swathe of land in the area. Storer, publishers of illustrated antiquarian, architectural and topographical works, including Thomas Cromwell's History and Description of the Parish of Clerkenwell (1828). Oct 31, 2014 · Situated just to the south of trendy Exmouth Market, Spa Fields in Clerkenwell is today a park that is enjoyed by locals and office workers alike, a rare green space in an area filled with offices,… Feb 23, 2010 · The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell: a short history The Jerusalem Tavern in its third incarnation, around 1860 The Jerusalem Tavern at 55 Britton Street, Clerkenwell, EC1, many people’s favourite London pub, is like one of those old knives that have had two new handles and three new blades. It wasn’t an original London road at all. Aug 10, 2022 · Hello John, thank you for this most interesting history. Clerkenwell is a district in Central London just north of Holborn Circus. [2] The Sessions House was designed by Thomas Rogers in the classical style and completed in 1782. The Marx Memorial Library - and 37a Clerkenwell Green - has been central to Clerkenwell's radical history for centuries. bor. Mar 19, 2025 · Clerkenwell, once home to the Knights Hospitaller, evolved from a historical site to a creative hub. It also includes Charterhouse Square, to the east of the historic parish. An infirmary was added in 1729. Jul 25, 2025 · The two-and-a-half-acre site described here has a long history of institutional use, famously as the site of the Middlesex House of Detention, the scene of the 'Clerkenwell Explosion' set off by Irish nationalists in 1867. For statistics about Clerkenwell itself, go to Units and Statistics. , pop. Pinks provides a detailed history of the first couple of centuries of the theatre. The Story of Sadler’s Wells by Dennis Arundell provides a detailed history up until 1977, and the Survey of London, volume 47 provides the usual highly detailed history. INTRODUCTION The Quaker Workhouse at Clerkenwell was one of the most radical experiments in co-operativism made in the eighteenth century. When King Henry VIII split from the Catholic Church and established a new Anglican Church, the Order in England was dissolved and all its lands and wealth were seized by the Crown. This is the earliest surviving complete map of London, often mistakenly attributed to a merchant named Ralph Agas, printed from a woodcut whose . 92). See full list on clerkenwellgreen. Retrieved 5 August 2014. The building itself hosted meetings of the International Working Mens' Association and lectures by Karl Marx before providing office space for Lenin to edit the revolutionary newspaper Iskra during his London exile. Run according to the Augustinian rule, it was the residence of the Hospitallers' Grand Prior in England, and was thus their English headquarters. During the 19th century, the area in the south-western corner of Clerkenwell was known as Italian Hill or the Italian Quarter and was home to a growing population of working class Italians. It was to be located on Farringdon Road at Mount Pleasant in Clerkenwell, London. 's Council—Royal Visitors at the Priory—The Present Church—The Cock Lane Clerkenwell, named after the 12th century Clerks’s Well, is Islington’s oldest residential and business district. Jul 27, 2022 · But eventually I discovered the reason – and the reason was Clerkenwell Road. Oct 8, 2012 · In 2008, staff at Islington Local History based at Finsbury Library, in the heart of Clerkenwell, were delighted when the publication of the Survey of London (SOL) two volume-set (Vols. Its very name – the clerks’ or students’ spring – is redolent of antiquity. Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration and New River Head Jul 11, 2022 · The history Clerkenwell took its name from the water source of the Clerk’s Well in the precincts of the medieval priory. In approximately 1100 a Norman baron named Jordan Briset founded an The London Archives is a free public archive focussing on the history of London from 1067 to the present day. The Booth family, who moved to London from north-east England, were established wine merchants as early as 1569. Lenin had recently moved the publication of the Russian socialist newspaper Iskra to Clerkenwell Green, and was Jan 23, 2025 · Blogs A year in Clerkenwell history Although we’re still at the start of the new year, and looking forward to everything 2025 has in store for agency life, sometimes it’s also valuable to look back on the rich history that surrounds us in our bustling Clerkenwell home. • Admire architecture from the 16th to the 21st centuries in a visually attractive village-like area. They are the primary source of birth details before 1837, though are useful to the present. Take a seat in the bar and you could be sitting on the spot where Lenin and Stalin held a meeting in 1905, or you may recognise the distinctive ‘golden’ Apollo Lounge, where scenes from the British film ‘Notes on a Scandal’ featuring Dame Judi Dench and Cate May 30, 2019 · During the 1850s Clerkenwell was the hub of the Italian community in London with thousands of Italians flocking to the capital from Italy. The south side, which also survives, was CHAPTER II. Jun 27, 2025 · In Islington and in Clerkenwell, medicinal wells were discovered, and one famous spa gave its name to the Sadler’s Wells Theatre built on its site. Nov 22, 2020 · Sans Walk in Clerkenwell is surrounded by so much history. Clerkenwell has long been a centre of commerce and trade. Pink’s “History of Clerkenwell” 1965 + 1880 (2nd edition) “the largest Victorian local history of any district of London” Pre-modern industrial history is Chris Elmers, a leading scholar on Clerkenwell (npublished). [5] It stood on Bowling Green Lane conveniently close to the Middlesex Sessions House, where prisoners would be tried, on Clerkenwell Green to the south. 69,076. Photos by Penny Dampier. Jun 5, 2015 · What better way to start off this blog than with one of my favourite classic pubs in Clerkenwell, 'The Crown Tavern', or more commonly known, as simply 'The Crown'. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon and means ‘Clerk’s Well’. Exmouth Market Area 47. It is bounded by Regency and Victorian terraces, most of which are listed buildings. Building Design. Descriptions 'Former Middlesex Sessions House, now Clerkenwell Conference Centre and Masonic Lodge. In 1799 a row of old buildings were knocked Jul 22, 2025 · Details the architecture of the southern areas of the historic parish of Clerkenwell immediately to the north of the City of London, including Clerkenwell Green and the church of St James Clerkenwell. "Feilden Clegg Bradley to transform Clerkenwell's Farmiloe Building". Paul’s Cathedral. <br /> <br />In this picture we are looking west across the green, and you can see the Clerkenwell Sessions House. Clerkenwell (Parishes of St James and St John), Middlesex, London [Up to 1834] [After 1834] [Inmates] [Bibliography] [Links] Up to 1834 A joint workhouse for the parishes of St James and St John was erected in Clerkenwell in 1727 under the provisions of Knatchbull's Act of 1723. Jul 15, 2025 · Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell. While it was Nov 11, 2024 · The Clerkenwell Priory was established in the 1140s as the English headquarters of the order. It blends rich history with modern community, making it a unique urban village in London. Nov 18, 2011 · In this series of posts about Clerkenwell’s history I will reveal the identity of these coal-men, revolutionaries, pickpockets and more. Introduction Houses of correction were established in the late sixteenth century as places for the punishment and reform of the poor convicted of petty offences through hard labour. The stretch of frontage now occupied by Nos 1 – 5 and Nos. , London, 380 ac. During the 19th Clerkenwell is London's hidden village and on this walk we explore its timeless squares and narrow alleyways where the area's vibrant history comes alive. The Huguenots were welcomed for their craftsmanship. More here on the locations and further development, and here about Islington guided walks. Beer was still Clerkenwell was once known as London’s <I>Little Italy</I> because of the large number of Italians living in the area from the 1850s until the 1960s. Clerkenwell became part of the new County of London in 1890 and then part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury in 1900, which, in turn became part of the new London Borough of Islington in 1964. The central public gardens contain flower beds and mature trees, a pavilion or shelter, and a water fountain. Starting at Clerkenwell Green, it runs north-west, up to Pear Tree Court and the Clerkenwell Close Peabody Estate, with the branch I am walking along turning off and running up to Bowling Green Lane and Corporation Row. (William John), 1829-1860. But it turns out to be a relatively recent addition to the local landscape. • See the site of the historic court houses of the lost county of Middlesex. As reflected in the first reformation of manners campaign, the late The London Archives and Islington Heritage present a three-part series exploring the history of Clerkenwell through The London Archives' map collection. John of Jerusalem and the Nunnery of St. Broken red line shows former Clerkenwell parish boundary The area described in this chapter lies at the western edge of Clerkenwell, merging indistinctly to the south and west with Holborn and St Pancras. It formally made its way onto maps in 1560. Jul 4, 2016 · The history of Clerkenwell by Pinks, William J. The southern and eastern parts of the parish are covered in volume 46. The Charterhouse A historic complex of buildings in Clerkenwell, London, dating back to the 14th century. Originating from the Clerkenwell area of London, the syndicate was founded by the Adams brothers—Terry, Patrick, and Tommy—who rose to prominence in the 1980s Steeped in history, The Crown Tavern is one of Farringdon’s – and indeed London’s – most established watering holes. Kings Henry VII and Henry VIII were called the “Protectors of the Order” and maintained a close relationship with the Hospitallers. The Palladian-style building was grand, with a facade of solid Portland stone and lonic columns – some of the most expensive materials of the time. Jun 21, 2012 · “ not far from the west end of Clerkenwell Church, but close without the wall that incloseth it. Records can include name of child, parents' names, residence, occupations and more. The area is named after the Clerks’ Well, a 12th-century water source that adjoined St Mary’s Nunnery (c1140), a religious order once located off Clerkenwell Green. Click here for graphs and data of how Islington has changed over two centuries. It is all grey and zinc with huge architectural offices on the ground floors of the buildings and a beautiful flat development scheme above. c. It occupies land to the north of Charterhouse Square, and lies within the London Borough of Islington. , Middlesex, within Finsbury parl. org. Retrieved 3 April 2015. Clerkenwell through time Clerkenwell is now part of Islington district. Jul 15, 2025 · From about 1802 the next-door house (No. The monastic order of the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem's beginnings goes back to the Crusades. The area was a small village on the outskirts of the City of London and it was here that the monastic order of the Knights Hospitallers of St John at Jerusalem had its English headquarters at the Priory of Clerkenwell. The old parish and modern borough boundaries here follow essentially the line of the Fleet river, a rough arc Feb 22, 2010 · Whilst recorded history has it that that a young Joseph Stalin first met Vladimir Ilyich Lenin at the Bolshevik Congress in Tsarist Finland in 1905, London legend has it that they actually met a couple of years earlier in the pub which is now the Crown Tavern, on Clerkenwell Green. 8 – 13 Clerkenwell Close were formerly occupied by an 18th-century house Jun 25, 2025 · Guide to Clerkenwell St James, Middlesex ancestry, family history, and genealogy: Parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and St Peter's Italian Church is a Roman Catholic basilica -style church located in Saffron Hill on Clerkenwell Road, Holborn, London. Gradually, however, the rural pleasure gardens were overtaken by urban growth associated with the Regent’s Canal (started 1812), the New North Road (1812) and other roads, and the North London St John Street is a historic street located in Clerkenwell, Islington, north London, England. Its continuation at either end is Theobald's Road and Old Street respectively. It was situated on the west side of Farringdon Road (formerly Coppice Row). Published in the 19th century, The Village of Clerkenwell in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1560 is based on Civitas Londinum. It was a focus of suffering during the Great Plague of London. Jan 18, 2022 · Explore Clerkenwell plaques & local Clerkenwell history / heritage content through street plaque schemes (including Blue plaques, English Heritage & National Trust) plus Walkfo’s millions of audio plaques in Walkfo’s Audio Travel Guide to Clerkenwell. House of Detention—Explosion and Attempted Rescue of Fenian Prisoners—St. It consists in large part of a broad and shallow triangle, sloping steeply to the south from Pentonville Road—the The neighbourhood of The London Archives is Clerkenwell, EC1, nestled in-between the Islington, Farringdon, Barbican and King's Cross areas. But though it is widely thought of as the natural and historic centre of Clerkenwell, its origins are not those of a typical English village green. Located on the edge of the City of London, it was the home of the Priory of St John and the site of a number of wells and spas, including Sadlers Wells and Spa Green. Tracing the story of this tightly knit, multi-layered area, it relates the social, political and economic transitions, from its medieval monastic origins to its recent emergence as a location for the architecture and design professions, and loft living. And this tiny hamlet serves up brimming draughts from the deep well of its history. Named after Clerk's Well in Turnmill Lane, its streets were for many years from the 10th century busy with farmers taking cattle to Smithfield market. It comes with a detailed walking route, photos, and a map. The original inspiration was a Discovering Clerkenwell history trail created by Mike Franks in 1977, and a Clerkenwell Commons website and online trail developed by David Wilcox with Mike in 2019. In 1775, following the Clerkenwell (Poor Relief) Act 1775, responsibility for the workhouse passed to the Clerkenwell Guardians, who were appointed for life by the vestry. The Clerkenwell Vestry was the vestry of Clerkenwell from c. The The ancient, hidden village of Clerkenwell clings to a hillside barely a stone’s throw away from St. The building was replaced by one twice as large in 1790. John Moore & Sons of Clerkenwell was a London-based clockmaker. With four or five in the area, people came to serve them, shops opened and you had quite a nice little village. Tour of Hidden Clerkenwell Credit: Designworks Tiles The tour kicks off down Passing Alley. The original estate consisted of 11 blocks, eight of which were arranged round a central courtyard. Its heartland is Clerkenwell Green, with St James's Church raised above it and the serpentine Clerkenwell Close wrapping quaintly round the church and away to the north, where the district Jul 27, 2025 · CHAPTER I. John's Gate—Knights Hospitallers and Knights Templars— Rules and Privileges of the Knights of St. The Clerkenwell Priory was a place of large-scale hospitality. In 1822, the Reverend Thomas Handley, Vicar of Saint James, reported that “the parish contains about 36,000 inhabitants and there is not accommodation in the two parochial churches and chapel for more than one tenth that number. Oct 18, 2024 · CLERKENWELL, a parish and a district in Middlesex. You may know Cowcross Street, a thoroughfare that connects Smithfield Market with Farringdon station, which is now full of fashionable bars and eateries. The parish City, clock-making and Clerkenwell Since the beginning of the 18th century, Clerkenwell was the centre of clock- and watch-making thanks mostly to the influx of Huguenots to the capital. There was a laundry room on the top floor of each block, but no communal bath house. It is thought that the clerks of the parish performed mystery plays in medieval times near some springs located in the area. 106°W The immediate vicinity of Clerkenwell Road Clerkenwell Road, at the St John Street crossroads Clerkenwell Road is a street in London. Featuring 600+ showroom events, 16+ curated exhibitions Stay at The Rookery—an elegant Georgian boutique hotel in Clerkenwell with period rooms, antique furniture, roll-top baths and hidden London charm near St Paul’s. It was originally built (and takes its name from) a Carthusian priory, founded in 1371 on the site of a Black Death burial ground. 523°N 0. One of the oldest streets in London, it has been variously known as Turnmill and Turnbull Street over its history. James, Clerkenwell. In this workshop we will see how maps can be used to reveal the ways that the Feb 24, 2021 · Nestled inside the triangle of Clerkenwell Road, Farringdon Road and Rosebery Avenue lies Little Italy. My Great-great-great grandfather, John Hickling, ran his business as a watchmaker from 122 St John Street. [1][2] In Background Information Clerkenwell House of Correction was opened in 1847, built on the site of two former prisons: Clerkenwell Bridewell and the New Prison. ^ a b c "June 2005 – The The immediate vicinity of Turnmill Street Turnmill Street Turnmills nightclub Turnmill Street is a street in Clerkenwell, London. Clerkenwell Road seems as solidly historic as all the rest of Clerkenwell. The other major military monastic order was the Knights Templar, based over South of Fleet Street. Due to fresh air, a plentiful supply of fresh water, open fields and its proximity to the City, Clerkenwell was a Jun 25, 2025 · Survey of London: Volume 46, South and East Clerkenwell. May 24, 2020 · The History of Clerkenwell by William J. In 1673, James third Earl of Northampton donated the water and its land to the poor of St Clerkenwell The Clerkenwell estate was built in 1884 thanks to a change in housing legislation in 1875 which allowed London’s first slums to be cleared. Mary’s Nunnery, and falling into a trough, enclosed by a low wall as described by Stow. Mount Pleasant and Rosebery Avenue area. Finsbury was traditionally Clerkenwell Priory was a priory of the Monastic Order of the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem, in present Clerkenwell, London. It includes Islington High Street and the Angel, the Exmouth Market area, and the Pentonville westwards towards King's Cross. Join guided walks and discover the lives of ordinary people who shaped London's rich social history. A history of 37a Clerkenwell Green and activism in the area. 15 Clerkenwell Close below. "34 AND 36, ST JOHN STREET (1298005)". In the Middle Ages, London's church clerks performed special plays based on Bible stories there every year. 40 Clerkenwell Close and then No. The Holy Tavern The Holy Tavern is located within the grounds of one of London’s most ancient hostelries -The Clerkenwell Priory. This famous space has been privy to more radicals, revolutionaries, protesters, judges, inns, coffee houses and free thinkers than you could shake a stick at. Survey of London: Volume 47, Northern Clerkenwell and Pentonville. The Sekforde opened as a public house in 1829 and remained open without a break for 176 years until it temporarily closed for a much needed re-development and restoration project in 2015, re-opening just before Easter 2018. In the mid-17th century it was home to many Huguenot refugees, merchants, and tradesmen, as well as to such uncouth locales as the Red Bull Theatre. Jun 18, 2025 · At Clerkenwell Design Week, the London district’s ancient buildings host design innovations – and architects and manufacturers can meet and collaborate. Pauls; and Radical Clerkenwell map The Peel Institute is exploring the radical history of Clerkenwell as part of its 125th anniversary celebrations and supported development of this map by David Wilcox with local guides Rebecca Walker and Philip Nelkon. John—Revival of the Order—Change of Dress—The Priors of Clerkenwell and the Priory Church—Its Destruction—Henry II. Read about No. To ensure uniformity Cockerell specified that later houses should conform to those first built under Woollcott (Nos 1 and 2). Session House, Clerkenwell 1810 engraved plate The building was commissioned to replace Hicks Hall as the courthouse for the Middlesex Quarter Sessions: Hicks Hall had opened in 1612 and had stepped into many of the lesser functions of the Old Bailey before being demolished in 1782. This is a list of the etymology of street names and principal buildings in the London districts of Clerkenwell and Finsbury, in the London Borough of Islington. Northampton Square, a green town square, is in a corner of Clerkenwell projecting into Finsbury, [1] in Central London. History The present Parish was originally part of the Parish of St. 35, later 36) was occupied by J. The Crown and Nos. ” Mr Handley approached the New River Company which still had ‘uncovered May 25, 2020 · This free Clerkenwell walking tour will take you on a a self-guided walk in Clerkenwell, London. It lies just within the boundaries of the London Borough of Camden, but is particularly associated with the Italian community of Clerkenwell ("Little Italy"), whose hub lies within the London Borough of Islington. Indifference or laxity on the part of the estate management allowed the insertion of small houses in courts, and slum conditions flourished. It’s fascinating to see that the building still stands today. ” Agas’s (1558) pictorial plan of London shows that the water gushed from a spout at the south-west corner of St. The parish clerks of London used to perform their mystery plays, plays based on Biblical themes, in the neighbourhood, sometimes in the presence of royalty. It runs west–east from Gray's Inn Road in the west, to Goswell Road in the east. Jul 9, 2025 · Despite the name, the west side of Islington High Street belonged to the old parish of Clerkenwell, and it is dealt with on its own here (together with a short section of Liverpool Road also in Clerkenwell) on account of its historic separateness from the rest of the parish as regards development and character. History The original workhouse was built in 1727 by the Clerkenwell Vestry. The 1732 edition of An Account of • Hear about Clerkenwell's history as a centre for makers of clocks, watches, jewellery and furniture; for brewers and distillers; and for crime and vice. Wilmington Square is a garden square in Clerkenwell, Central London. 53 to 55 Clerkenwell Close, viewed from Clerkenwell Green. In the 1880s overcrowding and poor living conditions on the Northampton estate This collection is a contribution to a shared knowledge base about the history of Clerkenwell. St John Street frontage of Brewery Square This was the site of the Cannon Brewery, founded in 1720 by two brothers, Samuel and Rivers Dickinson. Two of its houses were obliterated and rebuilt, and two declared unsafe and rebuilt, in the London Dec 6, 2011 · Our series on Clerkenwell history continues with musical coal-men and Russian revolutionaries in Clerkenwell Green. A history of priors, knights and St John Ambulance Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the medieval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. A 19th century Fenian bombing of London, the London School Board, Middlesex House of Detention Nov 22, 2020 · Looking east along Clerkenwell Close: Clerkenwell Close is a strange street as it consists of a number of branches. Exmouth Market area This chapter describes the southern portion of the area once known as Spa Fields, which was the western of the two Clerkenwell estates formerly owned by the Marquesses of Northampton (Ills 47, 58). The MML has a pocket watch cast by the IWMA marking the GraceLife London at Woodbridge Chapel, for many years known as Clerkenwell Medical Mission Islington Museum and Local History Centre Information about Lenin's stay in Clerkenwell Craft Central References ↑ Andrew Rothstein, A House on Clerkenwell Green, London: Lawrence & Wishart, 1966. 3 days ago · CHAPTER XVI. The photograph on the left is of Clerkenwell Green - and is taken from the cover of the excellent recent Survey of London volume on South and East Clerkenwell. Jul 3, 2015 · Clerkenwell Green, with the church of St James in the background, presents an image of the quintessential London 'village' (Ill. Also known as Clerkenwell Old Prison, Clerkenwell House of Detention and Middlesex House of Detention, the prison was located on St James’ Walk, in London’s central district of Farringdon[1]. Following the priory's dissolution in 1537, it was British History Online. The Clerkenwell/Finsbury area has no formally defined boundaries - those used here are: Pentonville Road to the north, Goswell Road to the east, Clerkenwell Road to the south and Gray's Inn Road to the west. May 20, 2015 · Throughout Clerkenwell Design Week, Designworks Tiles has teamed up with historian and author Alec Forshaw to promote a tour that uncovers the great and the gruesome about Clerkenwell’s history. By the Clerkenwell, Middlesex genealogy site with description, census transcripts, parish records, and many other resources. The parish of St James, Clerkenwell, has had a long and sometimes lively history. It is bounded by Clerkenwell Road to the south, Farringdon Road to the west and St John Street to the east. West of Penton Street Nowhere in the old parish of Clerkenwell is a sense of the original building pattern having been swept away stronger than on the western slopes of Pentonville. Discovering Clerkenwell 1977 map record Clerkenwell Commons website Article in the EC1 Echo The records St John's Gate, Clerkenwell in 2007 St John's Gate, Clerkenwell in 1786, before the Victorian restoration St John's Gate, in Clerkenwell, Middlesex, now within central London, is one of the few tangible remains from Clerkenwell's monastic past. uk Clerkenwell grew with the overflowing population of central London. The larger northern portion is treated in Chapter X. [1] The new streets and houses attracted inhabitants from among those engaged in the metal-working industries, chiefly clock- and watchmaking, already established in Clerkenwell. The well after which the area was named was rediscovered in 1924. Jan 19, 2024 · A drawing of Clerkenwell in 1560, two years into the reign of Elizabeth I, shows some features still visible today, sort of. THIEVES, MURDERERS AND REVOLUTIONARIES Old Sessions House construction began in 1779 and opened in 1782 under the name of Middlesex Sessions House as the nation’s largest courthouse. Sadler's Wells was one of the many spas St Peter, Clerkenwell Baptism Records (1871-1906) Baptism registers record the baptism of those born in and around St Peter, Clerkenwell and were subsequently baptised in an Anglican place of worship. To celebrate this rich and diverse community, Clerkenwell Design Week has created a truly unique way of showcasing the world’s leading interiors brands. An account of the eastern estate (Woods Close, now the Northampton Square area) is given Aug 23, 2024 · Adams Family: A Notorious Chapter in British Organized Crime The Adams Family, often referred to as the Clerkenwell Crime Syndicate or the A-Team, is one of the most notorious and powerful organized crime groups in British history. ^ Historic England. The springs which give Clerkenwell its name are mentioned during the reign of Henry II. It is between Goswell Road and St John Street (and Spencer and Percival Streets), has a very broad pedestrian walkway on the north-west side between university buildings and Jun 3, 2020 · Clerkenwell: an insider guide | Where to eat, drink shop and stay in Clerkenwell, London, including St John restaurant, The Eagle gastropub, Zetter Townhouse and The Rookery Radical Clerkenwell map The Peel Institute is exploring the radical history of Clerkenwell as part of its 125th anniversary celebrations and supported development of this map by David Wilcox with local guides Rebecca Walker and Philip Nelkon. To the north and east it covers the Northampton Square area, and Rawstorne Street as far the the Angel, Islington. Mar 21, 2021 · The Clerkenwell News of the 16th December 1863 included a very imaginative and colourful description of St John’s Lane in an article on the history of the street “What a glorious picture does imagination, aided by the indubitable facts of history, present of the splendid pageants which, in the days of chivalry, passed along this highway May 10, 2012 · Clerkenwell Green Islington Museum Clerkenwell Green is a fascinating area. n 50013167 Publication date 1881 Topics History Publisher London : Charles Herbert Collection wellcomelibrary; ukmhl; medicalheritagelibrary; europeanlibraries Contributor Wellcome Library Language English Rights Image: Clerkenwell Green, 1898 Clerkenwell Clerkenwell is Islington’s oldest residential and business district. 'Richard Hutton's Complaints Book' is the personal notebook of this institution's fourth and most successful steward. For the next 70 years, its coffered dome – built in the Jun 4, 2025 · CLERKENWELL. The Clerkenwell Priory In the 1140s the Priory in Clerkenwell was set up as the English headquarters of the Order. S. Built in 1788, this is a pub with a history, having once allegedly housed a meeting between Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin in 1903, when it was… The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Clerkenwell, London, dating to the 14th century. Originally published by London County Council, London, 2008. Clerkenwell was an authorised underground railway station planned by the Metropolitan Railway but never built. Boundaries aside, it was always considered part of Islington, in common with the At the corner of Clerkenwell Road and Goswell Road sits the Hat and Feathers pub. The distinguished grey building in the foreground is the Marx Memorial Library - once a school, and then in the nineteenth century for twenty years the home of one of London This entry was posted in London Buildings, London History, London Streets and tagged Clerkenwell on July 20, 2025. It seems to be taken from the roof of the old Sessions House. The London Archives and Islington Heritage present a three-part series exploring the history of Clerkenwell through The London Archives' map collection. ’ Clerkenwell is Islington’s oldest residential and business district. These two houses – the Priory of St. 1778-82, by Thomas Rogers; enlarged, and remodelled on all but the principal front in 1860 by Frederick Hyde Pownall; the ashlar-faced wing to the south added at some time between 1876 and 1914Low-relief carved panels by Joseph Nollekens over windows: oval medallions of Justice and Mercy CLERKENWELL Clerkenwell was an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, where it formed part of the Finsbury division of the Ossulstone hundred. [1][2] The street runs from Smithfield Market and Charterhouse Street in the south to the junction of City Road and Pentonville Road (near Upper Street) in the north, close to the Angel tube station. [4] It held prisoners awaiting trial. The priory was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitallers in England. Continued commercial and industrial Dec 6, 2020 · St John's Gate in Clerkenwell is a survivor of the medieval Priory of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. Clerkenwell Priory on Layers of London’s map of medieval London (1270-1300). In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Clerkenwell like this: Clerkenwell, par. London contained the first house of correction, Bridewell, and the Middlesex and Westminster houses opened in the early seventeenth century. As mostly imagined today, Clerkenwell has been adjusted down in size to a compact 'urban village' just north of the City. Clerkenwell Road Coordinates: 51. The parish lies in the metropolis, W of Islington, NE of Lincoln’s Inn fields, 1 mile NNW of St. Open map directly here. The Charterhouse, Charterhouse Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1M 6AN Get Directions Visit Weddings Exclusive Use History Free History of Clerkenwell The Clerks' Well Clerkenwell gets its name from the Clerks' Well on Farringdon Lane. They made Clerkenwell in Islington their home and for decades the streets burst with Italian businesses and culture. View important points in history for Clerkenwell Green from the year 1000 when the green was still an open space, right through to 1893. This is listed as his premises in a business directory from 1845. JOHN GROOM 1845-1919 Philanthropist who founded workshops for disabled girls nearby lived here JOHN GROOM - 8 Sekforde Street Clerkenwell London EC1R 0HD A free self-guided walk around the streets of Clerkenwell, London's hidden village. Hutton was steward of the Quaker workhouse from 1711 to 1737, and used this notebook to record events in both his life and the life of the Aug 21, 2022 · Clerkenwell Close has a history of embarrassing the London Borough of Islington’s Planning Department. Jun 26, 2025 · Explore untold stories of Clerkenwell and Islington. We combine the joys of the traditional pub with an eclectic range of cultural shenanigans, freshly prepared food and a first-class drinks selection. The priory dominated Clerkenwell from its foundation until the Dissolution of the May 8, 2024 · London Writing – Britton Street, Clerkenwell In the heart of Clerkenwell lies a thoroughfare steeped in history and change: Britton Street. Jul 12, 2024 · Planning your London trip and looking for off-beat areas to explore? Use this Clerkenwell guide to plan a day, a night, or your wwhole trip in the area! Introduction London's topographical entities have a tendency to shift over time. Jul 21, 2025 · In terms of historical character, the area considered in this chapter can best be described as marginal, lying as it does at the edges of the old parish of Clerkenwell and of three important former Clerkenwell estates: Penton, Lloyd Baker and New River Company (Ills 3, 385). & H. 417). 46 & 47) (covering Clerkenwell) afforded a near-definitive source of reference detailing the history and development of this former inner London parish, now part of the London Borough of Islington. Mary – are dealt with in perambulation. By 1740 they had added distilling to their already established brewing and wine interests and built a distillery at 55 Cowcross Street, Clerkenwell, London. dpmwtbw bsfn kodi xxwvf rko siecq cuf dizb orywj bwwclifs