St Charles' Hospital

St Charles' Hospital is a Victorian hospital building in North Kensington with its main structure on Exmoor Street, displaying typical architectural features of medical facilities from the 1880s. The Grade II listed building retains its original design elements and continues to serve as a healthcare center.

The facility opened in 1881 as St Marylebone Union Infirmary after its foundation stone was laid in 1879. It transformed from its original role as a poor relief institution into a modern health service under the NHS.

The building reflects how British healthcare evolved from local charitable institutions to public services. You can see this shift expressed in the Victorian architecture that still shapes the space today.

The building is located in a densely populated residential area with good public transport access for visitors arriving on foot or by bus. As an active health facility, only certain areas are accessible to the general public during operating hours.

The hospital pioneered dedicated residential facilities for nurses, offering them proper housing alongside their work in the 1880s. This early investment in staff welfare was notably progressive for medical institutions at that time.

Location: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Inception: 1879

GPS coordinates: 51.52210,-0.21760

Latest update: December 10, 2025 16:24