Clerkenwell: London’s Workshop · 6
Little Italy: the lane the procession walks
Ep. 6 · The Italian immigrant layer
FitTrip Editor · 2026.07.16
Italian immigrants settled Clerkenwell in the nineteenth century, forming Little Italy. Their trades — instrument making, mosaic and terrazzo work, ice-cream making — were hand trades, an immigration fitted to a workshop district. St Peter’s Italian Church, consecrated in 1863, was the community’s heart, and the procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has run since 1883, counted the oldest outdoor Catholic procession in Britain. The community dispersed; the church, the procession and a few shopfronts carry the layer on.
Walk Clerkenwell Road and a church with an Italian name appears: St Peter’s Italian Church — the heart of this district’s fifth layer, Little Italy.
An immigration of hand trades
Italian immigrants settled Clerkenwell in the nineteenth century, forming Little Italy Fact. Their trades are telling — instrument making, mosaic and terrazzo work, ice-cream making Fact. Onto a district of clockmakers and printers, an immigration of hands was layered. Where Shoreditch’s Huguenots brought silk, Clerkenwell’s Italians brought chisels, trowels and recipes.
The procession continues
The community’s heart was St Peter’s Italian Church, consecrated in 1863 Fact. And every July since 1883, the procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has walked these lanes — counted the oldest outdoor Catholic procession in Britain Fact. Most of the community dispersed to the suburbs after the mid-twentieth century Fact, but on procession day the scattered families return. The layer thins — and one day a year, it thickens again.
FAQ
- Where was Little Italy?
- The lanes around the meeting of Clerkenwell Road and Farringdon Road, centred on St Peter’s Italian Church — the heart of the Italian community from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s.
- When can I see the procession?
- The procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is held each July, running since 1883 — counted Britain’s oldest outdoor Catholic procession. Check the church’s notices for the date.
- What work did the immigrants do?
- Hand trades: instrument making (barrel organs), mosaic and terrazzo work, ice-cream making and selling — an immigration that meshed naturally with the workshop district.
Checklist
- See St Peter’s Italian Church, inside when open
- Visiting in July? Check the procession date
- Look for Italian shopfronts along Clerkenwell Road
- Procession day is crowded — allow time
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