54. THE LEPER HOUSE OF GORLESTON
Not much is known of the lazar-house of
Gorleston. It was probably one of those leper
houses of early establishment of which records
are so few, as they were supported almost entirely
by the alms of those entering or leaving the town
on whose outskirts they were planted.
Protection was granted by Edward III for
two years, in June, 1331, to the master and
brethren of the hospital of St. Mary and
St. Nicholas (sic), Gorleston, and their messengers collecting alms, as the house had not
sufficient means of subsistence. (fn. 1)
The house is mentioned in a will of 1372,
and again in 1379, when Simon Atte Gap, of
Great Yarmouth, bequeathed a legacy of 6s. 8d.
towards its maintenance. (fn. 2)
Part of its small possessions were held of the
manor of Gapton by the tenure of a yearly pair
of gloves. In the receipts of Gapton Hall court
roll for 1643 is entered:—
Received of Humphrey Prince, gent, for one acre
called Glove Acre, a payer of gloves, of him for the
house, late the hospital of St. James (sic) in Southtowne, Geth by the way of Yarmouth viiid. (fn. 3)
Some of its lands are now in possession of
Magdalen College, Oxford; they were known
as 'Spytelyng in Gorleston.' (fn. 4)
Footnotes
| 1 |
Pat. 5 Edw. III, pt. ii, m. 34. |
| 2 |
Suckling, Hist. of Suff. i, 37. |
| 3 |
Gapton Ct. R. cited by Suckling, ibid. |
| 4 |
Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. iv, 461, 463. |