Today, it is a short residential street to the east of Smithfield in the north-western part of the city and is located in the ward of Farringdon Within.

[3] The street was originally within the precincts of the Priory of St. Bartholomew's, and until 1910 formed a separate liberty, with gates that were shut at night.

Such a small area could not meet the demands of installing street lighting and sewers, and rejoined the city.

[6] It contains within its boundaries the oldest residential dwelling in London (numbers 41 and 42),[7] and a pair of properties administered by the Landmark Trust.

[11] The City Music Foundation is based in Church House in Cloth Fair.