Parish of Saint Thomas', Southwark

The Parish of Saint Thomas', Southwark was closely allied with Saint Thomas' Hospital and the Governors of the Hospital paid for the upkeep of the building and also appointed and paid the incumbent. The parish covered only eight acres and included the grounds of Saint Thomas' Hospital and much of Guy's Hospital and was therefore the parish church for the hospitals.

Th parish was not created until 1378 but there were certain parochial rights already in existance before then. The church was dedicated to Saint Thomas the Martyr until the reformation when the dedication was changed to Saint Thomas the Apostle. During the middle ages a substantial stone church was built and was granted to the corporation of the City of London with the hospital buildings at the refounding of Saint Thomas' hospital in 1551. This was rebuilt inbetween 1700 and 1702 with the interior work all being funded by the hospital.

In 1836 the parish was for poor law and other civil purposes united with Saint Olave's, Southwark and Saint John's, Horsleydown to form Saint Olave's Union. To this were added Saint Mary Magdelene, Bermondsey and Saint Mary, Rotherhithe in 1869. In 1898 Saint Thomas' Church was closed down and the parish incorporated into Saint Saviour's, Southwark for ecclesiastical purposes. The parish church of Saint Saviour later became Southwark Cathedral and Saint Thomas' church is now used as the Cathedral Chapter House. It also housed the Old Operating Theatre, Museum and Herb Garrett in the roof space of the church where an operating theatre was in use in 1821.