Clerkenwell Workhouse

The Clerkenwell Workhouse first opened its doors on Coppice Row in 1727 to provide for the local poor, offering them lodging and work such as spinning mop-yarn or picking oakum. The original brick building was designed as a plain, commodious facility for the parishes of Saint James and Saint John. Over time, the institution expanded significantly to accommodate more residents, eventually undergoing a large-scale enlargement in 1790. This structure stood as a central, if grim, feature of the district for over a century until its demolition in 1883.