St John Clerkenwell

St John Clerkenwell stands as a rare surviving piece of London's monastic past, serving as the headquarters for the Knights Hospitaller during the Middle Ages. These knights were a unique military and religious order that combined the vows of monks with the defensive duties of soldiers, originally dedicated to protecting pilgrims in Jerusalem. They established their English base here in the mid-twelfth century, creating a self-sufficient complex that functioned much like a bustling small town with its own slaughterhouse, brewery, and water supply.