Bethlem Hospital was an ancient foundation, initially in the City of London, which cared for the mentally ill. It moved to larger purpose built premises on St George Fields, Southwark, in 1815. It, along with other philanthropic organisations - The Magdelen Hospital for Penitent Prostitutes and the Philanthropic Society - moved to St George Fields to take advantage of clean air and water and distance from the squallor and over crowding of London.

This is a curious view of Bethlem Hospital.

It is easily identified as such by its tower, an addition of 1844 to 1845, but the pitched roof and Romanesque towers on the wing are details the writer has not seen on other views. This view is from the south-east.

New wings were added in the 1830s and demolished about a century later, when Bethlem Hospital moved to Monk's Orchard in Beckenham and the remaining parts of the building were converted into the Imperial War Museum.