About Clerkenwell A fascinating area just to the north of the City which is an alluring mix of scruffy old character and trendy new vibrancy. Charming Georgian houses and historic churches are sandwiched between old warehouses, many of which have been turned into flats and hotels. The area encompasses Hatton Garden which is the centre of London's jewellery trade as well as Smithfield where meat has been bought and sold for more than 800 years. The market has recently undergone a major refurbishment and is now considered the most modern meat market in Europe. Clerkenwell Green is surrounded by particularly attractive buildings including St. John's Priory, the British headquarters of the Order of St. John whose ancestors were heavily involved in the Crusades to the Holy Land.