Collection: Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians was based in Warwick Lane from 1674 to 1825. After the Great Fire of London (1666) destroyed its previous home, the College commissioned Robert Hooke to design a new headquarters.
Key Facts:
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Architectural Design: Hooke created a classical-style building with a central courtyard and an anatomy theatre topped with an octagonal dome.
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Library Expansion: In 1688, Sir Christopher Wren designed a library space to house a collection donated by Henry Pierrepont, Marquis of Dorchester.
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Decline & Relocation: By the 1800s, the College sought a new home in the West End and moved to Pall Mall East in 1825.
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Demolition: The Warwick Lane building was later sold and repurposed as a foundry, before being demolished in the 1890s.
Hooke’s Warwick Lane headquarters was a landmark of medical history, reflecting the College’s growing influence in 17th-century London!
