26. HOSPITAL OF ST. LAUD AND
ST. ANTHONY, HODDESDON
The earliest mention of this hospital is in 1390,
when the Bishop of Ely granted indulgences
for the poor and lepers of that house and of
St. Margaret, Thetford. (fn. 1) One of the two seals of
the Hoddesdon Hospital, both apparently of
the 15th century, shows that the house was also
called St. Clement, (fn. 2) so that there was probably
at some time a change of dedication. (fn. 3) During
this period, too, the character of the hospital
itself was perhaps altered. It seems to have
been originally intended, in part at any rate,
for lepers, (fn. 4) but in the 16th century it was
a hospital or almshouse for poor men and
women. Apparently there was no foundation
charter, but the warden or 'guydor' held the
house on lease from the lord of the manor. (fn. 5)
William Thompson, master in 1518, then
obtained a fresh lease of the place to himself
and his wife at a rent of 2 marks. (fn. 6) He was
succeeded in 1535 by Gregory Peryes. (fn. 7) The
house and its property were let in 1561 at 20s.
a year for twenty-one years to William Smythe
of Newington, who at once sold his interest to
Robert Reve, a butcher, and by him the
hospital with the government of its inmates
was leased for 60s. a year to Thomas Jackson. (fn. 8)
On 22 April 1568 Jackson complained to Sir
William Cecil that Reve did not, as he had
promised, repair the hospital, which was in a
ruinous state, and that he was making unreasonable waste of the woods belonging to the
house. (fn. 9) The survey made (fn. 10) in consequence
a few days later proves the truth of his statements : the two little rooms occupied by the
poor people at night let in the rain, and the
groves were much damaged by cattle.
As the possessions of the hospital consisted
only of a few acres of pasture and wood, the poor
there must have maintained themselves by
begging; in fact, of the eight inmates (fn. 11) six were
absent at the time of the survey 'gathering the
devotion of the people.' The number to be
received was left to the warden's decision, and
the surveyors drew the natural conclusion that
the founders (fn. 12) had lately troubled themselves
little about the management of the place. The
hospital lasted but a short time longer, the
building (fn. 13) in 1573 being used for a school. (fn. 14)
Wardens or Governors of Hoddedon
Hospital
John Jenkinson, shortly before 1518 (fn. 15)
William Thompson, occurs 1518 to 1535 (fn. 16)
Gregory Peryes, became warden in 1535 (fn. 17)
Thomas Jackson, became warden 5 October
1566, (fn. 18) occurs April 1568 (fn. 19)
Thomas Thurgood, occurs 1569 (fn. 20)
John Malden (fn. 21)
A seal of this house, (fn. 22) in the style of the
15th century, is a pointed oval, and represents
two saints in a niche with heavy canopies and
tabernacle work at the sides. The saint on the
left, St. Antony, holds in his right hand a long
tau cross, in the other a book, while at his feet
is a pig; St. Laud, wearing mitre and vestments, holds blacksmith's pincers in his left
hand and a hammer in his right. In the background are sprays of foliage. Legend : SIGILL[UM]
OSPITALIS SANCTI ANTONI LOCI DE HODSTUN.
Another (fn. 23) of the same shape and style also
shows two saints under heavily canopied Gothic
niches. The saint on the left is again represented with a tau cross in his right hand and
a book in his left, but the pig is not shown at
his feet. (fn. 24) St. Laud, (fn. 25) as before, holds a
hammer, but in his left hand : his right is
raised in benediction. In the base are two
emblems, the anchor of St. Clement under
St. Antony and a horseshoe under St. Laud.
Legend : SIGILLUM HOSPITALIS SANCTI CLEMENT'
LOCI DE HODDESDON.