The Charterhouse is a complex of historic buildings in Smithfield that have their origins in a Carthusian priory and the complex has also been used as an almshouse and school.
When the Black Death devastated England in 1348 the site now occupied by Charterhouse Square was used as a plague pit (a mass grave for plague victims). In 1372, just over 20 years later, a Carthusian monastery was established here to pray for the souls of the estimated 55,000 Londoners said to be buried here.
Shortly after the dissolution of the monastery in 1537, the complex was transformed into a Tudor mansion house and Queen Elizabeth I used the house while preparing for her coronation in 1559. In 1611 the Charterhouse became an almshouse for gentlemen pensioners, which still operates today.
The site has also been used as a school, which is still in operation although it moved to Godalming, Surrey in 1872. Former pupils of the school include Robert Baden-Powell, William Makepeace Thackery and John Wesley.
![The stained glass window at the Charterhouse chapel. A visit to the Charterhouse provides a unique insight into a 400-year-old London institution that until very recently remained a mystery to most Londoners. (Photo: Robert Lamb [CC BY-SA 2.0])](https://englandrover.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/charterhouse-london-geograph.jpg)
What to see at the Charterhouse
When the Charterhouse opened to visitors, a museum was established in partnership with the Museum of London with displays showing the history of the complex. Visitors are also able to visit the chapel.
When the Crossrail project recently clipped the corner of the Charterhouse Square plague pit, 13 victims of the Black Death were excavated and one of these is on display in a glass case inside the museum. Other museum exhibits include displays showing the day-to-day life of the 40 residents of The Charterhouse.
A visit to the Charterhouse is a fascinating insight into a 400-year-old London institution that until very recently remained a mystery to most Londoners.
Visiting the Charterhouse
Despite being established for over 400 years, The Charterhouse only opened to visitors in 2017.
Admission to the museum and chapel is free of charge, although there are several tours available for an additional fee.
The two main tours are the standard Charterhouse tour and the Brother’s Charterhouse tour. Both tours have expert guides that take you to parts of the complex that are off-limits to regular visitors. Many visitors say that the Brother’s tour is worth the additional charge as these tours are conducted by one of the Brothers (residents of The Charterhouse) and they offer the opportunity to ask questions about life at The Charterhouse, which gives you a unique insight into this unique institution. These tours are very popular and you usually need to book several weeks in advance to secure a place on a tour.
Other guided tours include the 30-minute tour of the chapel, a 90-minute architecture tour and the 90-minute Crossrail and the Charterhouse tour, which shows how tunnelling on the Crossrail project impacted life at the Charterhouse. The Crossrail tour is also very popular, requiring advance booking.
The museum and chapel are wheelchair accessible. Although the tours take you to other parts of the complex that include uneven surfaces and a cobbled courtyard there are alternate routes for wheelchair users taking the tours.
The Charterhouse is located just north of the City of London and it is close to Barbican and Farringdon tube stations. The nearby Clerkenwell neighbourhood has a great selection of places to eat and drink.
Nearby attractions include the Museum of the Order of St John, Smithfield Market and the Museum of London.
Most people spend between one and two hours visiting The Charterhouse.
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