Source: Site record. St Bartholomew's Hospital

St Bartholomew's Hospital, affectionately known as Barts, is the oldest hospital in the United Kingdom still operating on its original site. Located at West Smithfield in the City of London (EC1A 7BE), it was founded in 1123 by Rahere, a courtier of King Henry I, following a religious vision. After facing closure during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it was refounded by King Henry VIII in 1546, whose statue remains preserved above the main public gatehouse. The institution has transitioned from a medieval refuge into a world-renowned modern teaching hospital. It functions as a centre of excellence for cardiac and cancer care—housing the largest cardiac clinic in Europe—while offering specialised outpatient and minor injury services rather than a full A&E department.