St Augustine with St Philip's Church, Whitechapel

St Augustine with St Philip's Church is a Gothic Revival structure in Whitechapel built from red brick with Victorian architectural features including high clerestory windows. Inside, it houses a medical library and collections documenting the area's healthcare history.

The original building was constructed in 1818 as a chapel but was demolished in 1888 to make way for a new structure designed by architect Arthur Cawston, completed by 1892. This replacement reflected the area's growing medical importance during the Victorian period.

The building reflects the neighborhood's strong medical history through its transformation into a space housing collections that document the evolution of healthcare. This purpose shapes how visitors experience and interact with the place today.

The building is easily accessible to visitors and offers a quiet space for exploring collections and archives documenting the development of medical practice. It works best to visit early in the day to avoid crowds and have time to observe architectural details closely.

The building contains eight modern stained glass windows by artist Johannes Schreiter depicting medical themes such as molecular biology and the history of disease spread. These contemporary artworks blend older architecture with modern visual representations of scientific progress.

Location: London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Architects: Arthur Cawston

Architectural style: Gothic Revival

Website: https://qmul.ac.uk/library/contact-us/find-us/whitechapel-library

GPS coordinates: 51.51730,-0.06046

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:40