Editor Pick
St John's Gate
- February 26, 2007
- Rated 3 of 5 by
Esigodini from London, United Kingdom
St John’s Gate was built in 1504 and marks the entry to the site of the priory run by the Order of the Knights of St John. It now incorporates the museum of the Knights of St John, including a sizeable exhibition of the work of the St John’s Ambulance service.
I visited St John’s Gate at lunchtime on a rainy Thursday. Aside from upstairs guided tours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (at 11am and 2:30pm) visitor access is limited to the three exhibition rooms on the ground floor, but there was plenty to keep me interested for half an hour or so. I was the only visitor, and enjoyed the “friendly” feeling of the museum.
Of the three downstairs exhibition rooms, two are devoted to the history of the Knights of St John. There is a cannon that spent some time in the sea off Malta, a range of medals and porcelain, several impressive documents, and a couple of full-size knights in armour. There is also an interesting (and, I think, refreshingly hard-headed) account of how the Crusaders sacked Jerusalem in 1099 (the Order of St John was founded in Jerusalem “by 1099”). A couple of scale models of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – given to pilgrims in the 17th and 18th centuries – provided the highlight for me. I skipped the history video that was on offer.
The third exhibition room focuses on the work of the St John’s Ambulance. The room is much more modern and up-to-date than the rest of the museum – with computer terminals and co-ordinated displays. It is quite different in tone from the rest of the museum, but also interesting and easy-to-follow. Despite the modern feel to the exhibit, the history is well-presented – I particularly liked an illustrated “Esmarch’s triangular bandage” from the 1870s. Apparently these were introduced to the German army in 1868 and brought to Britain in 1877. Shortly afterwards, Germany adopted the ambulance service that St John’s was already providing in Britain.
St John’s Gate itself was extensively damaged in the Second World War. It has been restored, and now the Maltese cross flies proudly over a little corner of the City of London. I enjoyed my visit – particularly for the friendly atmosphere and the historical and international exhibits. I would recommend a visit to anyone who might be nearby, with the added bonus of being able to visit the upstairs rooms if you join one of the Thursday, Friday, or Saturday guided tours.
The museum is open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays. Entrance is free. Guided tours cost GBP4.
From journal Romans, Pancakes, Clocks - East London Not Dull