St. Thomas’ Church is a beautiful building in London, but its history is a lot deeper than what meets the eye. It sits on one of the oldest hospital sites in London, St Thomas’ Hospital. The church was built in 1703 by the hospital governors and was designed by Thomas Cartwright. Its history goes back even further. You see, St Thomas’ Hospital itself was founded way back in 1212. It was built right next to St Mary Overie Priory, an infirmary. Originally, it was a mixed order of Augustinian monks and nuns dedicated to St Thomas Becket, a figure central to the English faith during the 12th century.
The church was named after Thomas Becket because of proximity to the hospital and his status as a beloved figure in the area. When the cult practices in his name were abolished, the name was changed to St Thomas the Apostle, which is still how the church is called in most official documents. The church, once a place for prayers and solace for patients and staff at the hospital, fell into disuse in 1899. In the 19th century, the hospital was moved to its present location and most of the original buildings were demolished. St Thomas’ Church became the chapter house after becoming redundant and then became office space.
In the mid 20th century, something extraordinary was discovered in this church. Attic space, which had been called Herb Garret in 1821, actually contained a forgotten treasure: the old operating theater of the hospital. It lay hidden from view for almost a century until a researcher, Raymond Russell, stumbled upon a reference to it in 1956. After clearing the cobwebs, Russell found a remarkably preserved historic space. It’s thought to be the oldest surviving operating theatre in England. Today, St. Thomas’ Church is a museum, showcasing a glimpse into a time when medicine was a much different affair and this church held a much different spiritual place in the hearts of the people.