A hall with a long memory

London’s Barber-Surgeons’ Hall connects the history of a craft with the places where people learned and gathered.

The Barbers’ Company has had a hall in this part of London since the 1440s. The first stood in Monkwell Street and included spaces for dining, meetings, and a library.

A place for learning

In the seventeenth century, an anatomy theatre was added for lectures and demonstrations. The Company’s own history credits its design to Inigo Jones, following the model of the theatre in Padua.

Correcting an old account

Our earlier article suggested that a herb garden protected the hall during the Great Fire of London. The Company’s published history instead says the anatomy theatre was the only Company building to survive the fire in 1666. We have removed the garden claim.

The surviving theatre was later demolished in 1784. The site’s story is one of repeated change, rather than a single building preserved untouched.