In the shadows of the Shard sits what – from the outside – looks like a pretty ordinary London church. But if you step inside (and manage to conquer the rather slim spiral staircase), you’ll discover a 320-year old garret that house’s Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre and a museum that will give you a unique glimpse into the fascinating history of surgery and medicine.
Built in 1822 in the church of the former St Thomas’ Hospital site; the operating theatre played an important part in London’s journey to modern medicine. Now an educational space, the Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret offers amazing insights into the history of healthcare.
The history of The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret
The Old Operating Theatre was a relative latecomer to the hospital setup. The male theatre arrived in 1751, whereas the female theatre – the surviving theatre which now forms the basis of the museum – wasn’t constructed until the 1800s. Another thing to blame the patriarchy for, I guess… Female patients were wheeled through the doors and onto the operating table, sometimes with a sea of medical students watching on from the benches that surrounded.
The attic itself was also used as the hospital’s Herb Garret (essentially a forerunner to today’s pharmacies), and you can still to this day see rope marks from where the herbs and medicines would have been hanging.
When St Thomas’ Hospital relocated to Lambeth, the entrances to the operating theatre were boarded up, and it was mostly forgotten about until Raymond Russell, who was researching the history of St Thomas’, went investigating. Russell stumbling across Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre led to the construction of one of London’s most intriguing museums. Although it did need a fair bit of restoration before it could open to the public. One particularly stomach-turning renovation, supposedly involved a cement cutter slicing through layers of sawdust that had been congealed with blood. How delightful?
I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that nowadays, there’s far less blood and gore going on at The Old Operating Theatre. The museum runs weekly Victorian Surgery talks, which provide mock demonstrations of how surgery was performed in the Victorian era (spoiler alert: it didn’t involve an anaesthetic). More specialised talks also take place and the museum, as well as other exhibitions and events.
Elsewhere in the museum, you’ll see cabinets of curiosities and hundreds of artefacts on show. These include first aid kits, old prosthetic limbs, and surgical equipment – all of which will make you extremely thankful for our NHS. The museum’s commitment to education and providing interesting experiences is truly commendable. And best of all, unlike some former patients, you’ll be leaving with all your limbs perfectly intact. Hopefully…
Find out more and plan your visit here.