3-101-197 - "Royal Academy of Arts, London"/Heritage Images

Charterhouse - Governors' Room, c1880. The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Clerkenwell, London, dating from the 14th century. It was originally built as a Carthusian priory, founded in 1371. Following the priory's dissolution in 1537, it became one of the great courtyard houses of Tudor London. In 1611, the property was bought by Thomas Sutton, a businessman and "the wealthiest commoner in England", who established a school for the young and an almshouse for the old. The almshouse remains in occupation, while the school was re-located in 1872 to Godalming, Surrey. 'So called from the meetings of Governors of the Hospital formerly held in the room. Here, in all probability, Elizabeth [I] and James [I] held their courts at the time of their respective visits to Charterhouse. The mantelpiece and ceiling are both good and characteristic works. The decorations of the latter include shields with coats-of-arms of the Howards. The room contains some tapestry of the Duke of Norfolk's time. A portion is shown on the right of the photograph.' Description by Alfred Marks.