Description
St James Clerkenwell Church Garden is on the site of the former C12th St Mary's Nunnery run by Augustinian canonesses. When the Nunnery was dissolved in 1539 its church was converted into the Clerkenwell parish church of St James. The old church was rebuilt in 1625, later replaced by the current building in 1788-92. The steeple was rebuilt in 1849 and the church was later restored in 1882. Among those buried here are many of the 200 Islington Protestants martyred at Smithfield in the Reformation in the 1550s. The churchyard was laid out and opened as a public garden in 1890. The garden has notable London plane trees and is enclosed by C19th railings and piers. In 1987 part of the medieval cloisters from the former C12th nunnery were excavated in the churchyard garden.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St Mary's Nunnery; St James Clerkenwell Parish Church |
|---|---|
| Site location | Clerkenwell Close/Clerkenwell Green |
| Postcode | EC1 |
| What3Words | ///lifted.loving.bravo |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Islington |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - dusk. Church Open Mon-Fri 12-2pm |
| Facilities | Children's playground |
| Public Transport | Tube: Farringdon (Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Circle). Rail: Farringdon. Bus: 19, 38, 55, 153, 243 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
St Mary's Nunnery of Augustinian canonesses was one of three medieval religious foundations established in the area and was founded on land donated by Jordan Brisset in c.1144. The Nunnery was dissolved in 1539 and the church converted into Clerkenwell parish church of St James, which was apparently already being used as such by that time. In 1540 the site of the nunnery was granted to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, but the freehold of the church passed through various hands until it was conveyed in 1656 to trustees on behalf of the parishioners, who at the same time obtained the right to appoint the vicar. Unlike other parishes, they continued to retain this right after the Restoration of 1660 and elections for this purpose were held until the early C20th.
The old church was rebuilt in the early C17th and in 1673 land was purchased for the churchyard, which was enlarged in 1677. A new church was built in 1788-92 to designs of James Carr, a local architect, the spire modelled on that of St Martin in the Fields. The steeple was rebuilt in 1849 and the church was later restored in 1882. Monuments from the old church were set up in the porch in the C19th.
Among the many Protestants who were martyred in the Reformation were the 200 Islington Martyrs, burnt at Smithfield in the 1550s, many of whom were buried in the churchyard here. It was also the burial place of the victims of the explosion in 1867 when the Clerkenwell House of Detention was blown up by the Fenian Conspiracy to release their people inside. After it closed to burial, the churchyard was laid out and opened as a public garden in 1890, maintained by the vestry. It has notable London plane trees, and good C19th railings and piers. Part of the range of the mediaeval cloister from the former C12th nunnery was excavated in the churchyard garden in 1987.
The old church was rebuilt in the early C17th and in 1673 land was purchased for the churchyard, which was enlarged in 1677. A new church was built in 1788-92 to designs of James Carr, a local architect, the spire modelled on that of St Martin in the Fields. The steeple was rebuilt in 1849 and the church was later restored in 1882. Monuments from the old church were set up in the porch in the C19th.
Among the many Protestants who were martyred in the Reformation were the 200 Islington Martyrs, burnt at Smithfield in the 1550s, many of whom were buried in the churchyard here. It was also the burial place of the victims of the explosion in 1867 when the Clerkenwell House of Detention was blown up by the Fenian Conspiracy to release their people inside. After it closed to burial, the churchyard was laid out and opened as a public garden in 1890, maintained by the vestry. It has notable London plane trees, and good C19th railings and piers. Part of the range of the mediaeval cloister from the former C12th nunnery was excavated in the churchyard garden in 1987.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ315822 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.54 |
| Site Ownership | LB Islington |
| Site Management | Greenspace |
| Dates | C16th; 1670s; 1890 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Church and attached railings; 3 bollards adjacent to church. SAM: Nunnery of Mary de Fonte |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Islington |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | St James's Walk |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Area |
| Other LA Designation | Local/strategic view corridor. Church: local landmark. Shopping Policy Area |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Not strictly speaking a village green, Clerkenwell Green was open space between St John's Priory and St Mary's Nunnery and was once the centre of the village. In the C17th houses of the nobility and the wealthy were built here and the Green was planted with trees, which later blew down in 1796. By the C18th there was a pound, pillory and watch house here, with a turnstile at the entrance of Clerkenwell Close.
The Cloister Garden of the Priory Church of the Order of St John of Jerusalem was laid out by Lord Mottistone when the bomb-damaged church was restored in 1955-58, as a memorial to members of St John's Ambulance from London District. Overlooking the garden is a crucifix by Cecil Thomas of 1960, and 2 brick arches on the south wall of the adjacent church are believed to be where an early C16th chapel pierced the walls. After the Priory was dissolved the buildings had a number of uses, the church later becoming a parish church in 1722/3, but now back in use by the Order of St John. Until recently the garden was largely grass with a central fountain, but has been re-landscaped with funding from HLF and the Wellcome Trust and now contains medieval herbs of the monastic period. It is entered via the fine Docwra Family Memorial Gateway off St John's Square.
St John's Churchyard was once within the Priory of St John of Jerusalem founded in 1144 by the Knights Hospitallers. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in c.1540, the Priory and its church were used for other purposes including a private chapel and library, a tavern, and later became a parish church of St John's Clerkenwell. Jerusalem Passage was the site of the Priory's postern gate, demolished in 1780. In 1931 the church was acquired by the modern Order of St John as their Priory Church. After it closed to burial, St John's Churchyard was laid out by the MPGA as a small enclosed public garden with a few headstones remaining and a fine plane tree.