13. THE HOSPITAL OF SANDON
The hospital of Sandon, in the parish of
Esher, dedicated to the honour of the Holy
Spirit, (fn. 1) is said to have been founded at the beginning of the reign of Henry II. by Robert de
Wateville. (fn. 2) It was augmented early in the
reign of Henry III. by William de Percy
with an income of 20 marks which Salley
Abbey, Yorks, paid him for the manor and
forest of Gisburn, and also with 80 acres
of land in Foston, Leicestershire. This augmentation was granted to the master and
brethren of the hospital for the purpose of supporting six chaplains for divine offices within
the house. (fn. 3)
On William de Percy's death his heart
was buried before the Lady altar in the
church or chapel of this hospital, and here
too was interred the body of his wife Joan.
Giles, the warden or prior of the house,
and the brethren covenanted with Sir
Wymond Ralegh to keep a lamp and a taper
of two pounds weight burning before the
Lady altar whenever masses were said. (fn. 4)
There were further augmentations granted
to the hospital during the reign of Henry III. (fn. 5)
License was granted in January 1331 for
the warden and brethren of the hospital of
Sandon by Kingston to acquire in mortmain
land and rent, not held in chief, to the
yearly value of £10. (fn. 6) In this year the hospital found itself in such straits that the
bishop issued a commission, consisting of
Richard, chaplain of Walton, and William
de Holton, constable of Farnham, to inquire
into the condition and administration of the
house, and to provide some remedy for their
wants. (fn. 7)
Warden Brounchild resigned on 30 November 1331, when the custody of the hospital was awarded by the bishop to John de
Crokford. The wardenship was kept vacant
until November 1333, when the brethren
were allowed to elect; they chose John de
Crokford, and the bishop confirmed the appointment. (fn. 8)
In 1338 the brethren were all dead, save
warden Crokford, who was induced to resign.
Bishop Orlton collated John Askham to the
office; but Crokford refused to give up possession, and both Askham and Crokford were
cited to appear before the bishop's commissary for inquiry and judgment. The registers
do not record the result. (fn. 9) The terrible
Black Death made a clean sweep of the
warden and brethren of this hospital in the
beginning of 1349, (fn. 10) but the Bishop of Winchester boldly held an ordination that summer
in the chapel of the desolated house. (fn. 11)
During the wardenship of William Masse
the hospital, as might have been expected,
suffered from the non-residence of its warden,
and on 27 November 1371 he was cited to
appear at the parish church of Waltham to
answer interrogatories as to his administration
of the hospital and to produce an inventory of
the goods. (fn. 12) John Ware, who succeeded Masse,
was also a pluralist. The house was visited
in November 1374 by William Lozynge, the
chancellor of the diocese, and John de Kelsey, under the bishop's mandates. (fn. 13) The
usual fault in the smaller religious houses was
the improper administration of the property.
On this account probably at the institution of
John Carles as warden in 1391 he was
pledged to keep an inventory of the goods of
the hospital, and to return an annual statement of accounts. (fn. 14) Notwithstanding his
pledges however he was cited on 15 June
1400 to show cause why he should not exhibit an inventory. (fn. 15)
In May 1396 excommunication was
pronounced, at the instance of Warden
Carles, against certain persons unknown,
who had entered the hospital close, and
carried off and concealed vessels, utensils,
charters, muniments, and ornaments of the
house; at the same time the financial difficulties of the hospital are manifested by excommunication being also pronounced against
tenants who were in arrear in their rents. (fn. 16)
Carles resigned in 1401, and on 26 April
of that year Hugh Strenger, ' highly commended to us for his virtues and probity,'
was instituted as his successor, making oath,
like his predecessor, to deliver to the bishop
annually a faithful inventory of the hospital
goods. (fn. 17) It is strange that so energetic a
bishop as Wykeham should have been so
unfortunate in his choice of incompetent and
scandalous clerks to have the rule in this
hospital. On 12 December 1401 Strenger
had to be inhibited from felling timber for
sale, (fn. 18) and in June 1404 a commission was
appointed to receive the warden's purgation
on a charge of incontinence. (fn. 19)
The financial position of this hospital came
to so low an ebb in the time of Henry VI.
that on 13 February 1436 the crown
granted leave to the Bishop of Winchester to
unite it to the hospital of St. Thomas the
Martyr, Southwark. The patent states that
the hospital was of the patronage and foundation of the bishop's predecessors, and gives
the dedication as that of the Holy Spirit. (fn. 20)