'The Charterhouse, from the Square', c1872. The Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Smithfield, London, dating back to the 14th century. Founded as a Carthusian priory in 1371, it was variously a mansion house, a school, and an almshouse. From Old and New London, Vol. II: A Narrative of Its History, Its People, and Its Places, by Walter Thornbury. [Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., London, Paris & New York]