The oldest historic parts of St Barts Hospital near Smithfield are currently being restored, and they’re offering tours of the restoration works.
(c) Barts Heritage
The tours include the Grade I listed James Gibbs-designed North Wing including its Great Hall, as well as the Hogarth decorated grand staircase.
During the tour, visitors will be able to watch the expert team, led by Stephen Paine and Sophie Stewart, clean, conserve, and repair the Hogarth paintings and the walls and ceiling of the Great Hall.
The tours start from 22nd July 2024, cost £11.55 per person, and can be booked from here.
You will need to be OK with scaffolding, as you’re going to be going up close to the decorated walls and ceiling where the conservation work is taking place.
Note that if you book a Saturday tour, the conservators won’t be on-site in person, but you will still see everything that a weekday tour would offer.
Please, St Bartholomew’s or Bart’s not St Bart’s
£11.55 or “11 guineas” in old money 🙂