St John's Gate, Clerkenwell
St John's Gate dates back to Tudor times; it was built in 1504 as the new southern entrance to the Priory of St John in Clerkenwell.
The Order of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem was originally established to care for and protect pilgrims who had travelled to the Holy Land; by 1099 the Order had established a hospital in Jerusalem, where they cared for the sick and for the pilgrims who needed to recover after their long journeys. In subsequent years the Order moved to Acre, then Rhodes and Malta, in each case establishing hospitals. The Order fell into disarray after 1798 when Napoleon of France invaded Malta, but still has premises in Rome.
The Order had Priories in many countries, and the English Order was established in 1140 on ten acres of land in Clerkenwell. Over the years the Priory became very rich and influential. However it did not survive the Dissolution of the religious houses by Henry VIII, who closed it in 1540 and seized its assets.
The Gate had a number of uses during the following three centuries. Henry VIII used it as a store for hunting equipment (the area at the time was still rural). Elizabeth I used it as the office of the Master of the Revels, an early form of censor. She had many enemies, and all new plays had to be reviewed in case they contained seditious references. In the 1700s the Gate was the headquarters of 'The Gentleman's Magazine'; it also saw use as a coffee shop run by the father of the artist William Hogarth (he spent part of his childhood here). By the 1860s it was in use as a pub the Jerusalem Tavern, but was pretty run-down and dilapidated.
At this time, there was a move to revive the English Order, and its ideals of care for the sick. It was the Industrial Revolution, and accidents were common in the new factories. The St John Ambulance Brigade was formed to teach first aid techniques so that victims could be kept alive until medical help could arrive, and to provide means or transporting victims to hospital. Queen Victoria re-established the order in 1888, and the Order decided to refurbish the Gate for use as its headquarters.
Today, the Gate houses a museum, which traces the history of the Order from the hospital in Jerusalem, through to the work of the St John Ambulance today. The Museum of the Order of St John is open Monday-Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and is free. Guided tours of the Gate take place on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 11am and 2pm; these are free but a donation of £5, to fund the Order's work, is suggested. The Priory church, which contains the original 12th Century crypt, can also be visited free of charge.
St John's Gate, Clerkenwell
St John's Gate dates back to Tudor times; it was built in 1504 as the new southern entrance to the Priory of St John in Clerkenwell.
The Order of the Hospital of St John in Jerusalem was originally established to care for and protect pilgrims who had travelled to the Holy Land; by 1099 the Order had established a hospital in Jerusalem, where they cared for the sick and for the pilgrims who needed to recover after their long journeys. In subsequent years the Order moved to Acre, then Rhodes and Malta, in each case establishing hospitals. The Order fell into disarray after 1798 when Napoleon of France invaded Malta, but still has premises in Rome.
The Order had Priories in many countries, and the English Order was established in 1140 on ten acres of land in Clerkenwell. Over the years the Priory became very rich and influential. However it did not survive the Dissolution of the religious houses by Henry VIII, who closed it in 1540 and seized its assets.
The Gate had a number of uses during the following three centuries. Henry VIII used it as a store for hunting equipment (the area at the time was still rural). Elizabeth I used it as the office of the Master of the Revels, an early form of censor. She had many enemies, and all new plays had to be reviewed in case they contained seditious references. In the 1700s the Gate was the headquarters of 'The Gentleman's Magazine'; it also saw use as a coffee shop run by the father of the artist William Hogarth (he spent part of his childhood here). By the 1860s it was in use as a pub the Jerusalem Tavern, but was pretty run-down and dilapidated.
At this time, there was a move to revive the English Order, and its ideals of care for the sick. It was the Industrial Revolution, and accidents were common in the new factories. The St John Ambulance Brigade was formed to teach first aid techniques so that victims could be kept alive until medical help could arrive, and to provide means or transporting victims to hospital. Queen Victoria re-established the order in 1888, and the Order decided to refurbish the Gate for use as its headquarters.
Today, the Gate houses a museum, which traces the history of the Order from the hospital in Jerusalem, through to the work of the St John Ambulance today. The Museum of the Order of St John is open Monday-Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and is free. Guided tours of the Gate take place on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 11am and 2pm; these are free but a donation of £5, to fund the Order's work, is suggested. The Priory church, which contains the original 12th Century crypt, can also be visited free of charge.