Clerkenwell is a district in Central London just north of Holborn Circus. It is bounded by Clerkenwell Road to the south, Farringdon Road to the west and St John Street to the east. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon and means ‘Clerk’s Well’. It is thought that the clerks of the parish performed mystery plays in medieval times near some springs located in the area. The parish church is St James, Clerkenwell, and was founded in the fifteenth century. The present building was constructed by James Carr and reconsecrated in 1792.
The church is on a rise above Clerkenwell Green and on a little lane called Clerkenwell facing a quaint pub, amid a setting that could be a village rather than a city. It has an evangelical tradition going back to the Restoration of 1660, at which time the parishioners gained control of the minister’s living so they could choose whom they desired. An object in the church of considerable interest to historians is the carved wooden tablet (on the south wall) commemorating the Smithfield Martyrs. The dates range from 1400 to 1558, covering much more than the Reformation period. The church is not normally open to visitors outside service times, but the area is worth a look, being one of those picturesque corners of London that time seems to have forgotten.