Funky Venues

Venue Review

Character: Quirky Baroque-style medical curiosity.

Funky Features: Britain's oldest surviving operating theatre, built in 1822.

Location and History

Hidden away in the attic of St Thomas’s Church, the old operating theatre was originally founded in the 13th Century by Augustine monks and nuns. As part of the original hospital, the church provided shelter for the sick and the poor of Southwark before being largely rebuilt by Thomas Cartwright (master mason to Sir Christopher Wren) at the end of the 17th Century. The church attic then became home to the resident apothecary from the neighbouring hospital and was used for storing medicinal plants - recent renovations have found traces of opium in the rafters. In 1822 part of the garret was converted into a purpose-built operating theatre and a door fitted to connect with, what was then, the women’s surgical ward at St Thomas’s. The Hospital was also home to Florence Nightingale’s famous nursing school in the 19th century.  In 1862 St Thomas’s began the move to its present location in Lambeth and the operating theatre lay undiscovered until 1957.

Interior

To get to the museum which is housed in the original bell tower of the church, guests must make a steep climb up the 32 steps of the narrow spiral staircase. The arrival sets the atmospheric tone for this unique venue.

Spaces for Hire

The oak beamed ‘Herb Garret’ now houses the Museum and provides a fascinating glimpse into medicine before the invention of anaesthetics and antiseptics. Part of the museum recreates the apothecary workshop and exotic smells of Frankincense, Horsetail and Gum Arabic greet you when you enter the loft. Rather ominous looking collections are hidden beneath the rafters containing medical instruments and anatomical specimens. Perfect for those who want a slightly more quirky location for a drinks reception, the apothecary counter can be cleared and used as a bar.

The Operating Theatre itself holds around 60 and makes a strikingly unusual venue for talks or launches. As you stand on the tiered steps around the central operating pit it is easy to imagine the horrors that would have taken place beneath the large glass roof.