The Governor and Company of the Bank of England (usually shortened to the Bank of England) is a state owned institution acting as the central bank of the United Kingdom, which convenes the eponymous Monetary Policy Committee that is responsible for managing the monetary policy of the country. It was established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and to this day it still acts as the banker for the UK Government. The Bank has a monopoly on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales.

The Bank's headquarters is located in London's main financial district, the City of London, on Threadneedle Street, where it has been located since 1734. It is sometimes known as The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or just The Old Lady. The current Governor of the Bank of England is Mervyn King who took over on June 30 2003 from Sir Edward George.