The church was finished in 1732, and was consecrated the next year on St. Luke’s day, when the name of that saint was given as its patron. Though the building is convenient and well enlightened with two rows of windows, it is a very singular structure. In the center of the west front is the entrance, adorned with coupled Doric pilasters; and to this door is an ascent by a small strait flight of steps. Over the entrance is a round window, and on each side a small tower covered with a dome, and ornamented with two windows in front, one of the usual form, and another over it, answering to that over the door. The tower is carried up square, and behind it the roof of the church forms to the west a kind of pediment, broken by the rise of the tower to which it joins on each side. The uppermost stage of the tower diminishes very considerably, and this, which is the base of an obelisk, supports on each side a dial. From hence rises, as a steeple, a fluted obelisk, which reaches to a great height, diminishing slowly, and being of a considerable thickness towards the top, the upper edges are sloped off. In short, the whole is terminated by a ball and fane.
The advowson of this church is in the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s, and it is not to be held _in commendam_; all licences and dispensations for that purpose being declared void by the act abovementioned.
_St._ LUKE’S HOSPITAL _for lunatics_, a neat and very plain structure, at the north end of Moorfields. Nothing is here expended in ornament, and we only see a building of considerable length plaistered over and whitened, with ranges of small square windows, on which no decorations have been bestowed.
This hospital, which takes its name from its being situated in St. Luke’s parish, is supported by private subscriptions, and is designed as an improvement upon Bethlem, which was incapable of receiving and providing for the relief of all the unhappy objects for whom application was made.
Some of the reasons for setting on foot this kind and generous design, were, the expence and difficulty attending the admission of a patient into the hospital of Bethlem, which had discouraged many applications for the benefit of that charity, particularly on the behalf of the more necessitous objects, and of such who resided in the remote parts of this kingdom. By this unavoidable exclusion and delay many useful members have been lost to society, either by the disease gaining strength beyond the reach of physic, or by the patients falling into the hands of persons unskilled in the treatment of this disorder. And many of the unhappy persons afflicted with it, have from this delay, and the want of being put under the care of those experienced in guarding against their attempts, frequently committed the most fatal acts of violence on themselves, their relations and attendants. Had they joined this to Bethlem hospital, it would have deprived it of two of its principal advantages, the being under the immediate inspection and government of its own patrons and supporters; and of introducing more gentlemen of the faculty to the study and practice of one of the most important branches of physic.
