Enjoy Our Local Area

The London Archives is situated in Clerkenwell, a bustling neighbourhood of London and is surrounded by a wealth of amazing places to visit. Clerkenwell offers much for researchers to enjoy whether they are travelling to or from the archives or taking a well-earned break from work.

Taking a break

Immediately opposite our front door is Spa Fields Park where can be found numerous park benches, large grassy areas and a lavender garden.

Exploring the area to the south and towards Farringdon Station is Clerkenwell Green (not green at all) and St James’s Church Garden containing trees, benches, many dogs, and a charming kiosk serving coffees and sweet snacks.

Eating and drinking

You can pick up a drink of water in our Visitor Lounge, which has plenty of room to take a break in, but The London Archives does not have a café.

If you would like to buy food or drink while you are visiting us, there are many places within easy walking distance. Options include:

• Cafés and pubs on Bowling Green Lane (5 minute walk from The London Archives)
• Cafés, restaurants and street food in Exmouth Market (5 minute walk)
• Cafés, restaurants, pubs in the Farringdon area (10 minute walk)
• Cafés, restaurants, pubs in the Islington area (15 minute walk)
• Cafés, restaurants, pubs in the Kings Cross area (25 minute walk)
• A small supermarket can be found on Tysoe Street (5 minute walk) and two larger supermarkets are located on St John Street (10 minute walk).

Exploring Clerkenwell

Places to visit

• The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration (Opening Soon)
• Islington Local History Centre (5 minute walk)
• Sadlers Wells Theatre (10 minute walk)
• The Postal Museum (12 minute walk)
• Barbican (15 minute walk)
• The Charterhouse (15 minute walk)
• Guildhall Library (20 minute walk)
• Guildhall Art Gallery (20 minute walk)
• The British Library (20 minute walk)
• The British Museum (30 minute walk and is also accessible via the 19 bus)

Walking around Clerkenwell

The London Archives’ building is typical of the many re-purposed industrial buildings in the area. From 1938 to 1982 it was a printing works and editorial office.

South from us in Clerkenwell Close is the Victorian stores building which supplied all the furniture and stationery needs of London’s schools. Near The London Archives, on Bowling Green Lane, is one of the most architecturally distinguished warehouse buildings in this whole part of London. It was constructed of brick in 1879 for the use of Evening Standard Newspapers.

In Pine Street (three minute walk) is one of the most important Modernist buildings in the whole of London, the Finsbury Health Centre of 1938 by Berthold Lubetkin.

A short walk from The London Archives...

Walk first to the architectural splendours of Smithfield Market, St Bartholomew the Great Church and the Charterhouse, which includes a museum exploring the history of the ancient priory.

Adjoining this, on Charterhouse Square, is an art deco block of flats looming over a beautiful green square, familiar as the television home of Hercule Poirot. On the way you will pass St John’s Gate (just off Clerkenwell Road), a further reminder of the monastic life which once dominated Clerkenwell and Finsbury. This is now the site of a museum, chapel and cloister garden relating to the Priory, its ancient military hospital activity and the modern charitable work of the Order of St John.

If you have an hour to spare...

A one hour relaxed walk starting from The London Archive could take you through stately 1820s Wilmington Square, rising uphill to Great Percy Street and Percy Circus, both architectural set-pieces of early 19th century urban planning.

A short diversion will take you to Granville Square and the Riceyman Steps, both made famous by Arnold Bennett.

Walking along North Wharton Street allows you to see the swooping urban vista past the stepped, classically pedimented, paired houses of the Lloyd Baker Estate (1820-40). In the middle distance you will see the Post Office Tower.

Take the opportunity to visit Georgian Myddeleton Square, enclosing the Gothic revival Church of St Mark.

Then, turning back towards the archives, you can explore Amwell Street, a broad thoroughfare full of elegant, well-preserved shop fronts (with cafes and interesting retailers), railings and fanlights.

Shopping and staying

Our nearest post office is beside the junction of Rosebery Avenue and Farringdon Road (five minute walk).

There are stylish gifts and plants shops along Exmouth Market, a pharmacy, a useful traditional ironmonger and a book hut selling a well selected range of pre-read paperbacks.

The closest hotel to The London Archives is located on Farringdon Road (five minute walk).