Hidden Medieval Museum in London – Museum of the Order of St John
We’ve all heard of St John Ambulance. But did you know that it’s actually an ancient organisation that was established in the 11th century?
Museum of the Order of St John
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The Museum of the Order of St John tells the story of an ancient military Order from its origins when they cared for sick pilgrims and how it became an international first aid charity.
The museum has two parts: the gatehouse and the chapel. Visiting the gatehouse is completely free and no booking required. You can simply walk in from the street and visit the exhibition.
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You can only visit the chapel, however, if you book a guided tour which run twice a day three time a week.
The gatehouse museum’s unique collection guides you through the story of the Order from its beginning to the modern day St John Ambulance.
By 1080 a hospital was established by monks in Jerusalem under the guidance of Brotherhood Gerard. The purpose of the hospital was to care for travellers and pilgrims fallen ill during their travel regardless their religion, race or social status. The group of men and women volunteers were known as ‘hospitallers’.
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The story of the Order is interwoven with many historical characters, including Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Suleiman the Magnificent, Willam Shakespeare, Willam Hogarth and Dr Samuel Johnson.
A collection of medieval artefacts is on display, including intricately decorated armours, model ships, maps, ancient coins, apothecary, silverware, and medical instruments used by the members of the Order as well as ceremonial wear.
Guided Tours to Visit the Priory Church, the Crypt and the Historic Rooms in St John’s Gate
St John Priory Church
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Follow the footsteps of knight-monks, politicians, philanthropists and even William Shakespeare himself on the guided tour that discovers the many lives of St John’s Gate.
Council Chamber
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TIP: There are a number of different guided tours available. We recommend the ‘Knights, Revellers & Saviours: The Many Lives of St John’s Gate’ as it includes the Priory Church, the crypt and the historic rooms in St John’s Gate. The tour will last 60 minutes and it costs £15pp.
If you go for a guided tour, you have the rare opportunity to literally walk in the footsteps of Willam Shakespeare.
That spiral wooden staircase is the oldest Tudor staircase in London on which Shakespeare walked up to get his plays approved by the Master of the Revels.
Grand Chapel Hall
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Marvel at the beautiful architecture of the Grand Chapter Hall where numerous Royal portraits line on the walls, indicating Royal patronage throughout the centuries.
St John Priory Church
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The Church’s Priory gallery features an exhibition that let visitors get a glimpse into how life was in a medieval priory.
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The Church’s Cloister Garden today provides a tranquil place to the members of the public. In the medieval times, however, it functioned as a medicinal garden where the most different herbs would have been cultivated by Knights Hospitallers to cure illnesses.
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St John’s Gate and the Norman crypt have seen many turmoils throughout the centuries. It survived the odds of the history because the building served various purposes. It served as the English headquarters of the Order in the 12th century, an office of the Master of the Revels during the 16th century (thirty of Shakespeare’s plays were licensed here!), it was also a coffee house run by Richard Hogarth, father of artist William Hogarth and even used as a pub in the 18th century.
When it was a pub, it was called The Old Jerusalem pub and welcomed such visitors like Charles Dickens.
The modern Order of St John in England was granted by Queen Victoria in 1888. The modern Order recognised the need of First Aid and ambulance transport services as no such system existed in the newly industrialised England.
The Iconic Eight Pointed Star
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The white eight-pointed cross on a black background, the symbol of the Order, remained completely unaltered over the centuries.
Today it’s known as the logo of St John Ambulance, but it was also worn on the robes of the first Brother Knights in the hospital in Jerusalem in the 11th century.
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You can also see it on the floor inside the chapel. Black and white is also the colour of the Order’s uniform and you can also see black and white tiles covering the chapel’s floor.
The Crypt
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Under the black and white chapel, there is the crypt with beautiful arches and stained glass windows.
Make sure you spend a few quiet minutes here and absorb the history around you.
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The crypt contains a 16th century tomb effigy believed to be Castilian Knight Hospitaller, named Don Juan de Vergara.
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The stunning stain glasses above the chapel depict St John the Baptist, John Aimoner, St George, Andrew, Patrick and David as well as other knights and priors.
The Order of St John Today
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Today the Order of John is an international charity, providing first aid and healthcare services in over 40 countries.
It has over 25,000 members and 200,000 volunteers around the globe and volunteers from the rural Africa and to areas impacted by natural disasters in Asia.
How to become a volunteer or support the Order:
Want to become a volunteer or support the Order of St John? Click here to see how you can do that.
Venue Hire
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The historic buildings of the Priory Church, the galleries, the crypt and the garden are all available to hire for private events.
If you’re planning a medieval-themed wedding, looking for a hidden jewel for your next conference, lecture, or dinner, the historic rooms and the beautiful garden overflown with flowers during spring and summer are ideal places to celebrate, or host special events your guest will remember.
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To discover all the available venues, rooms and spaces and learn all the details on how to hire them, click here.
Practical Info
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Address
Museum of the Order of John | St John’s Gate, 26 St John’s Ln, London EC1M 4DA
(Nearest station is Farringdon)
Opening Times
Mon, Tue, & Sun: CLOSED
Wed – Sat: 9:30am – 5pm
Tickets
The gatehouse is free to visit. No booking required.
However, you do need to book a ticket for a guided tour to visit the Priory Church, the crypt and the historic rooms in St John’s Gate.
Tickets are £15 or £11.25 with a valid Art Pass or Blue Light Card
If you’re an Islington resident, you can visit any public guided tours for only £1!
Ready for your next adventure? Dating back to 1144, The Clink Prison Museum is one of the oldest prisons in England. Enter through the original site and descend to the dark side of history.