Beneath your feet lie secrets of healing and faith at St Thomas’ Church in Southwark. This is not just a church but a portal into London’s rich medical history. St Thomas’ Church began as part of St Thomas’ Hospital. The hospital emerged from the infirmary at St Mary Overie priory in 1212. It was an Augustinian house.
Imagine London Bridge teeming with pilgrims. They came to honor Thomas Becket. The hospital and its church adopted his name. This was before the Reformation. After the abolition of the Becket cult in 1538, the church was renamed St Thomas the Apostle.
Fast forward to 1703. The Hospital Governors commissioned Thomas Cartwright to design the present church. High up in the garret, history took an unexpected turn. In 1821, they built the Old Operating Theatre in the Herb Garret.
Picture this a hidden operating theatre in a church attic. For nearly a century, it lay undiscovered. Then, in 1956, researcher Raymond Russell found a reference in the hospital archives. He ventured into the cobweb-filled attic. There, he rediscovered the surgical theatre.
The church’s role shifted over time. By 1899, its use as a church became unnecessary. The parish merged with St Saviour’s. St Saviour’s later became Southwark Cathedral in 1905. St Thomas’ then served as the Chapter House for the cathedral. Later, it became office space.
Even the Jubilee Line Extension posed a threat. The church was at risk due to the underground works. Thankfully, repairs were made, starting in 2010. The Cathedral Group property development company made it their headquarters.
Now, consider its most unique feature. St Thomas’ Church houses the oldest surviving operating theatre in England. Florence Nightingale herself had ties to St Thomas’ Hospital. This scientific facility was rediscovered in the church’s garret.
Think about the countless procedures performed here. Surgeons worked with herbs and rudimentary tools. They sought to heal within the sacred space of St Thomas’ Church. Today, it stands as a museum. It preserves the history of the old hospital’s Operating Theatre and Herb Garret. St Thomas’ is a testament to London’s medical past.