Historic hospital wing open to the public for the first time in 300-year history

A 300-year-old hospital wing featuring paintings by William Hogarth is to open to the public for the first time following an extensive restoration project.

The North Wing of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, a Grade I listed building, will be open to visitors for two days a week.

Barts Heritage led a £9.5 million restoration project, which was also supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, after “years of decline”.

The charity was established to repair the historic buildings at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London.

St Bartholomew’s is the oldest working hospital in the country and celebrated its 900-year anniversary in 2023.

Its North Wing was built in 1732 and includes a Great Hall and a grand staircase, which was decorated by Hogarth and includes his pieces The Pool of Bethesda and The Good Samaritan.

The restoration works included exterior work on the roof, stonework, railings and over 160 sash windows.

Internal work included “painstaking conservation” of the Hogarth paintings, as well as the decorative plaster work, Barts Heritage said.

Wendy Porter, a nurse at the hospital, stands in the Grand Staircase, which is decorated with large-scale history paintings by William Hogarth, The Good Samaritan (left) and The Pool of Bethesda (1735-1737), during a preview of the new North Wing of St Bartholomew’s Hospital in West Smithfield, central London (Yui Mok/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Yui Mok

“The Sharing Historic Barts project has brought together leading craftspeople from across the country to bring this unique building and its spectacular interiors back to life,” said Barts Heritage chief executive Will Palin.

“Thanks to the support of the Heritage Fund, the City of London and our many donors, we have safeguarded the Hogarth Stair and Great Hall for generations to come, and ensured that this hidden gem will welcome the public as a place for art, culture and wellbeing at the heart of the city.”

Professor Charles Knight, St Bartholomew’s Hospital chief executive, added: “It is wonderful to see the newly revived North Wing open to the public for the first time, a jewel of the Barts community that celebrates our unique history.

“This renewal stands as a lasting legacy of our recent 900th anniversary, connecting centuries of medical excellence with our rich heritage.”