St. James Clerkenwell was an ancient parish...formerly the parish of several chapels within its boundaries. It had distinct parochial districts attached, and is subdivided into several chapels. One of the larger ones was St John the Baptist, St John Square, Clerkenwell, which was a chapel of ease within the ancient parish of St James Clerkenwell. It was created as part of the Building Act previous to when it began operation, the year 1723.