Clerkenwell Priory, Medieval priory in Clerkenwell, England
Description
Clerkenwell Priory was a major monastic complex built in the 12th century to serve as a principal base for a powerful military religious order. Only sections of the Norman crypt with its rounded arches and the gatehouse remain visible today, showing the structure of the original compound.
History
The Order of St John founded the priory in 1144 as the center of their operations in England for over 400 years. Its dissolution under Henry VIII in 1540 ended its life as a religious institution and led to reconstruction and gradual decay.
Culture
The Knights Hospitallers made this priory their main English headquarters, drawing nobility and officials from across Europe through its doors. Today you can sense how this location served as a hub connecting England's leadership with wider European networks.
Practical
The site sits in central Clerkenwell and is easy to reach on foot, though only scattered remains are visible at street level. You can explore the surrounding streets to see how the surviving structures fit within the modern neighborhood.
Did you know?
Rebels attacked and burned the priory during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, leading to its reconstruction and conversion into a palace-like residence. This dramatic shift from monastery to domestic building marks a turning point in the site's story.
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St John's Gate
94 m
Museum of the Order of St John
103 m
St John Clerkenwell
39 m
Zetter Hotel building
29 m
The Crown Tavern Public House
144 m
Easternmost Of Two K2 Telephone Kiosks To The Centre Of Clerkenwell Green
120 m
12-14A, Clerkenwell Green
107 m
70 And 72, Clerkenwell Road
127 m
11, Jerusalem Passage
71 m
2, Albemarle Way
28 m
49 And 50, St John's Square
53 m
12, Jerusalem Passage
76 m
148-154, St John Street
111 m
36 And 36A, St John's Square
18 m
49-53, Clerkenwell Road
93 m
56 And Attached Railings
120 m
55, Britton Street
124 m
K2 Telephone Kiosk At Junction With Albemarle Way
27 m
47 And 48, St John's Square
41 m
Bollard At The South End Of Jerusalem Passage
45 m
Bollard On The Corner Of Sekforde Street And St James's Walk
141 m
52, St John's Square
57 m
The Cannon Brewery Building
120 m
27, St John's Square
92 m
8, Jerusalem Passage
59 m
Westernmost Of Two K2 Telephone Kiosks To The Centre Of Clerkenwell Green
124 m
88, St John Street
141 m
59 And Attached Railings
113 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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