Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. Clerkenwell was once known as London's “Little Italy” due to its extensive Italian population from the 1850s to the 1960s.

Clerkenwell took its name from the Clerks' Well in Farringdon Lane. In the Middle Ages, the London Parish clerks performed annual mystery plays there, based on biblical themes. Part of the well remains visible, incorporated into a later (19th or perhaps early 20th century) building called Well Court. It is visible through a window of that building on Farringdon Lane.

In the 17th century Clerkenwell became a fashionable place of residence. Oliver Cromwell owned a house on Clerkenwell Close, just off the Green. Before Clerkenwell became a built-up area, it had a reputation as a resort where Londoners could disport themselves at its spas, tea gardens and theatres.

Clerkenwell is the home of one of London's largest nightclubs, Fabric, and several pre-club bars such as Smith's of Smithfield have also flourished in the area. The nightlife is centred on the north side of Smithfield Market, with revellers gathering alongside delivery teams from across Europe at the meat market on nights throughout the week.

A number of traditional pubs also line the market and the surrounding warren of streets.

Farringdon station, which provides both mainline rail and tube services, is the only station in Clerkenwell itself. However Angel, King’s Cross St Pancras, Chancery Lane and Barbican stations all lie near the fringes of Clerkenwell.