Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The Operating Theatre was originally accessible from the women's surgical ward at St Thomas' Hospital, but not from the church (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Surgeons performed operations before an audience of students. It really was a "theatre" (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The glass roof of the Operating Theatre allowed for as much natural light as possible (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The Latin motto means "For compassion, not for gain" (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Monica Ann Walker tells us how the Operating Theatre came to be built, and how it survived (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
In 1862 the hospital buildings were demolished to make way for the railway line from London Bridge to Charing Cross (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
St Thomas' Hospital moved to Lambeth, but the church and the Operating Theatre remained (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The Operating Theatre was sealed up and forgotten for more than eighty years (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The Operating Theatre was rediscovered by Raymond Russell in 1956, and has since been completely restored (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Monica's talk includes a mock demonstration of surgery before anaesthetics and basic hygiene - a gruesome business (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
After lunch at the Barrow Boy & Banker we make our way across the river, through the City to the Charterhouse (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The visitors' entrance to the Charterhouse is just beyond the site of the monks' chapel (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The residents of the Charterhouse are known as Brothers. Our guide is Brother Mansel David (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Our visit to the Charterhouse begins with a briefing in the Great Hall (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The Great Hall was constructed by Sir Edward North in the 1540s and embellished by the Duke of Norfolk around 1571 (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The splendid carved screen in the Great Hall was installed by the Duke of Norfolk (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The hammer beams in the Great Hall are original, but the original ceiling was destroyed by fire in 1941 (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
There are still scorch marks from the 1941 fire visible on the wooden screen in the Great Hall (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Mansel David tells us about the turbulent history of the Charterhouse, founded as a monastery in 1371 (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The monastery was suppressed by Henry VIII and the Prior executed for treason (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The Charterhouse was bought by Sir Edward North in 1545, and the buildings remodelled as a courtyard house (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
In 1558 Queen Elizabeth I spent four days at the Charterhouse before her formal entry into the City of London (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The Duke of Norfolk bought the Charterhouse in 1565 and renamed the main building Howard House (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
In 1603 James I held his first court as King of England at the Charterhouse, by invitation of its owner, the Earl of Suffolk (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
From the Great Hall we move into the Old Library (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
In 1611 Thomas Sutton, now owner of the Charterhouse, established the charitable foundation that flourishes today (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Sutton's Hospital (i.e. Almshouse) admitted its first Scholars and Poor Brothers in 1614 (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Formerly the Brothers' Library, the Old Library was originally the Foundation Scholars' dining-room, called Gownboys Hall (photo by Valerie Schreiner)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
The chimneypiece in the Old Library was installed in 1614. It bears the Sutton coat of arms (photo by Roger Johnson)
Sherlock Holmes Society of London:
Also on show in the Old Library is a magnificent display of antique silverware (photo by Roger Johnson)
