A local’s guide to the ruins of Charnel House and Bishops Square in the historic area of Spitalfields – one of the only medieval sites in London!
I love London for its unique shops and concept stores, but I love it most of all for its many historical secrets.
It covers everything; whether we are talking about vintage cafes, bow fronted shopfronts, magnificent cemeteries, or beautiful ruins, I am here for all of it and visit them with infinite pleasure.
It was by chance that I discovered one of my favorite historical spots in London – the Charnel House ruins at Spitalfields, very secret and yet so close to Liverpool Street and Old Spitalfields Market!
How to Visit London’s Charnel House Ruins and Bishops Square
The Charnel House ruins at Bishops Square stand out particularly against the skyline of skyscrapers formed by Liverpool Street and the nearby City of London.
In fact, while it is nestled in the very modern Spitalfields district – which still keeps its vintage shopfronts and beautiful historic buildings – the Charnel House is nonetheless a very secret place since it is located underground.
You take a staircase in the middle of Bishops Square and find yourself facing the ruins of the Charnel House.
This place was built around 1320/1330 as part of the Priory and Hospital of St. Mary Spital, which was one of the largest medical institutions in medieval England.
Around us are offices, restaurants, and the beautiful historic streets of Spitalfields, but also the Herd of Hope, a public art installation aimed at raising awareness about elephant extinction.
But what exactly is a charnel house?
It was a place used to store bones that were disturbed when new graves were dug in an overcrowded churchyard.
Here, we’re at the ruins of the crypt to the chapel of St Mary Magdalene and St Edmund the Bishop, which was built in the cemetery of the priory and hospital of St. Mary Spital.
Moreover, it is interesting to note that the name “Spitalfields” itself is simply a contraction of “Hospital Fields,” referring to the land the priory owned.
Since most monastic buildings were destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in the 1530s, this site is a tangible link between modern London and medieval London.
It was only in 1999, during archaeological excavations, that the ruins of this crypt were rediscovered, which we can still admire today.
Choosing the Losing Side and The Last Explorer Sculptures, David Teager-Portman
In the same time capsule formed by the charnel house, you will also find a curious pair of sculptures by David Teager-Portman titled Choosing the Losing Side and The Last Explorer.
Made primarily of bronze and glaze, they are intended as funerary sculptures and date back to 2014, blending perfectly into the atmosphere of the ruins.
Charnel House and Bishops Square London Photo Gallery
How to Visit London’s Charnel House Ruins and Bishops Square
Once you have finished admiring the ruins of the charnel house, you will find many places to visit nearby, whether it is sunny or raining in London.
For example, the Eataly grocery store, which feels like a massive museum of fine Italian food products, or even the curious Victorian Bath House.
Closer to the City of London, you can also find St Bride’s Church and its secret crypt, or the ruins of Winchester Palace very close to London Bridge and Borough Market.
If you want something completely different, why not go admire street art neighborhoods like nearby Brick Lane, or even take part in an immersive experience?
If you are hungry, you will find the fabulous Poppies near the Charnel house, one of the best fish and chips in London, as well as many vintage shops!
Charnel House London
Address: Bishops Square, London E1 6FQ
Website: Spitalfields Life