81. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. GILES, NORWICH
Good Bishop Walter de Suffield (1245-57)
was the founder of the noble hospital of St.
Giles. The foundation charter was sealed, both
by the bishop and prior, in the Norwich chapterhouse on 1 April, 1246. (fn. 1) The hospital, which
was to bear the name of St. Giles, was founded
in honour of the Holy Trinity, the Glorious
Virgin, the Blessed Anne, and the Blessed Giles,
and was to be built on a prescribed plot of ground
opposite the church of St. Helen and under the
walls of the priory. In this hospital the founder
willed that there should be a master, who was to
associate with him four devout chaplains well
instructed in the divine offices. All were to rise,
both for mattins and at dawn, at the sound of
the greater bell, and to proceed together from
the dormitory, entering the church in surplices
and copes. Mattins and the other hours, as well
as the mass of the day, were to be sung cum
cantu et tractu moderato. No one was to move
about the house or precincts before the early
mass, save the master if necessity required it.
There were to be three daily masses, (1) of the
day, (2) of Our Lady, and (3) for the faithful
departed. Once a week, save in Lent, there
was to be full service of St. Giles. The master
and his chaplains were to live in the same house
and to partake of the same food and drink.
After dinner, the master, chaplains, and brethren
were to proceed to the chapel chanting (psalmodizantes) the Miserere.
Every day of the year thirteen poor men
were to have a sufficiency of bread and a good
mess of meat or fish, and occasionally of eggs
and cheese, with a due supply of drink, in the
entrance (ante caminum) of the hospital, or by the
fire in winter. Seven poor scholars, apt to learn,
were to be chosen by the master from the schools
of Norwich to receive their board at the hospital
during school term, and those who had been
well taught in grammar were to be changed,
from time to time, for others, so that the number
should always be maintained. There were also
to be in the hospital thirty beds, with bedding,
sheets, and coverlets, or more if the funds allowed
it, where the infirm poor who desired it might be
received until they were restored to health.
There were to be at least three or four sisters, of
honest life and of fifty years of age, who were to
take diligent care of the sick and infirm; but all
the rest of the work of the house, in the brewery
and other offices, was to be done by men. All
poor chaplains (that is, unbeneficed clergy) of the
diocese of Norwich, broken down by old age or
permanent sickness, so that they were not able to
celebrate nor to do other clerical work for their
support, were to be received into the hospital and
to have suitable board and lodging in an honourable part of the house, so far as funds permitted.
The hospital was to have a box for God's poor
(archa Domini), from which alms were to be
given daily to wayfaring poor. From the
Annunciation to the Assumption there was to be
a free distribution of sufficient bread to stave off
hunger to all comers at the sound of the greater
bell. The hospital was to be not only God's
house, but the house of the bishop of Norwich;
and as often as the diocesan passed by he was to
descend and to give his blessing to the infirm
lying and lodging in the hospital, and on such a
day the thirteen poor men were to be wholly fed
in the hospital. There were to be four lay
brothers to minister both to the residents and
out patients of the hospital according to the
master's directions. All within the house, brethren, sisters, priests, and clerks, were to be
subject to the direction and orders of the master.
Every Sunday the master was to hold a chapter,
and oftener if necessary, for the correction of
offences and the punishment of delinquents. As
to fasts and food and refection, the Austin rule
was to be followed. In chapel the master and
chaplains were to wear surplices and round black
copes; they were each to dress in good cloth of
some non-prohibited colour. The brethren were
to wear white gowns with grey cowls; the
sisters, white mantles and black veils. The
master, chaplains, brothers, and sisters were never
to eat or drink in the town save in the houses
of religious. The sisters were to have meals and
to sleep by themselves, nor was anyone to enter
their apartments save for necessity, leave being
first obtained from the master. On the death or
resignation of Hamo de Caletorp, the first master,
and whenever there was a vacancy, the house
was to be under the care of the bishop and one
of the chaplains, but all the fruits during
vacancies were to be retained for the use of the
hospital. On a vacancy, the prior of Norwich
and the archdeacons of Norwich and Norfolk,
after an interval of three weeks, were to hold an
inquisition as to the fitness and suitability of the
chaplains of the house and of some outsider,
according to their conscience, and to present
such a one as master to be immediately admitted
by the bishop or by his official in his absence
from the kingdom. Immediately on admission
the master was to swear to keep the goods of the
hospital in a proper state, and to observe the
ordinances of the house. If the archdeacons
did not appear on the appointed day nor during
two days afterwards, the prior was to associate
with himself the official of Norwich consistory
and the dean of Norwich and proceed to the
election.
Provision was also made for any of the three
offices being vacant by death, &c.; but if after
five weeks no appointment had been made, the
bishop was to collate. The master must be a
priest, and was to swear to reside, and to hold no
other benefice. He was to have no mounted
attendant, unless it was one of the chaplains or
brethren or clerks of the house. There were to
be no esquires or idle youths in the house. The
master was to be content with two or three
saddle-horses. The common seal was to be kept
under two keys, one held by the master and the
other by a senior brother. An indulgence of
forty days was granted in perpetuity to all aiding
the hospital during the feast of St. Giles.
The endowments granted by this elaborate
charter included the land of Hales, and the
churches of Calthorpe, Costessy, Cringleford,
Hardley, St. Mary of South Walsham, and
Seething. The last clause confers the right of
burial in the hospital. (fn. 2)
In 1255 the bishop obtained the assent of
Pope Alexander IV to the foundation and
statutes of this hospital, which were at that time
formally matured and signed by the founder. It
was stated in the papal confirmation that the
several churches presented to the hospital had
been purchased from laymen by the bishop
for that purpose, and that they were to devolve to the hospital on the death of their
respective rectors; it was further ordered that
perpetual chaplains or vicars, with fitting stipends,
were to be provided for the churches. (fn. 3)
During the founder's lifetime William de
Dunwich, a wealthy burgher of the city, gave
for his own soul and that of Katharine his late
wife a meadow by Bishopsbridge adjoining the
hospital, 6s. 8d. rent in Holme Street, and a
great variety of other rents and tenements
throughout the city. By his will, dated 1272,
he ordered that his body should be buried before
St. Katharine's altar in the hospital church, and
made bequests to support five sick people in the
hospital continually, and to find two chaplains at
that altar to daily sing for him and his wife and
ancestors. He also made provision for four wax
tapers to be always burning at St. Katharine's
altar during mass, and gave to the same a chalice
and cruets of silver. So great were his benefactions that he was usually regarded as a co-founder
with the bishop. In 1260 William de Suffield,
archdeacon of Norwich, the founder's brother,
gave to the hospital the church of Repps-withBastwick.
The founder died in 1257; by his will the
bishop left to the hospital of St. Giles, built
as he states for the remission of his sins, 300
marks to be used in any way for its advantage
according to the consent of the master and his
executors. He commended the hospital specially
to his executors, exhorting them to benefit it in
any way in their power out of his goods. He
also gave to the hospital the silver-gilt cup which
had belonged to the Blessed St. Edmund, and
the Bible he had bought of Master Simon Blound.
The somewhat cumbersome rules for the
appointment of the master were altered, with the
archbishop's sanction, by Bishop Roger de Skirning in 1272, so that the chaplains of the house,
on a vacancy, were entitled to choose their
successor.
By the year 1310 the rents of the hospital
had so increased that Bishop John Salmon added
four other chantry priests to the foundation, so
that there were eight clerical brethren, who were
ordered to wear the habits of regular Austin
Canons.
The patent rolls of Edward III contain various
small bequests to the hospital, (fn. 4) and in 1334
Bishop Ayermin obtained licence to appropriate
to St. Giles's the church of Thurlton. (fn. 5) In 1340
Bishop Antony Bek confirmed the appropriation
of the church of St. Peter, Mundham. (fn. 6)
In 1409 Thomas Lord Dacre, lord of the
manor of Horsford, licensed William Westacre,
archdeacon of Norwich, and others, to settle in
mortmain on the hospital the manor of Cringleford, on condition of finding a chaplain to live as
a brother in the hospital, and to celebrate daily
for the soul of John de Dorlington, late archdeacon of Norwich, for Roger Pratt, the late
master, and for William Paston of Paston. (fn. 7)
In 1420 Henry VI, for his own soul and for
that of his wife Margaret, granted licence to the
hospital to hold additional lands to the value of
£10. It was therein stated that the house then
consisted of a master, eight chaplains, two clerks,
seven poor scholars for choristers, eight poor bedridden people, thirteen poor people daily dining
there, besides poor strangers passing by who had a
night's lodging there, as many as the beds would
hold, and all the poor chaplains of the diocese
labouring under any constant infirmity, and two
sisters to wait upon the poor. (fn. 8)
In 1450 Sir John Fastolf sold the manor of
Mundham and the advowson of the church of
St. Ethelbert to the hospital for 200 marks.
The master and brethren of St. Giles covenanted
with the mayor and commonalty of the city, in
1472, to find a chaplain to serve in the chapel of
St. Barbara in the Guildhall. (fn. 9)
Bishop Goldwell visited this hospital on
9 October, 1492. Robert Godfrey, one of the
brethren, appeared as proctor of Master Oliver
Dynham, who claimed to be master of the
hospital, but exhibited neither assignment as
proxy nor the title of Oliver Dynham to the
mastership. Robert Godfrey, together with John
Dowe, John Hector, George Vyrly, and William
Hadenham, chaplains and brethren of the hospital,
were then severally examined. The report of
the visitation, as entered by the notary, was
simply to the effect that the master of the hospital
was absent and non-resident, contrary to the
hospital statutes, and that on account of his
absence the house was vexed with suits and other
serious injuries. (fn. 10)
The executors of Bishop Goldwell settled in
1520, with the residue of his estate, lands to the
value of 53 marks a year in mortmain on the
master and brethren of St. Giles, on condition
of their finding three chaplains to celebrate for
the bishop's soul: one at the cathedral church,
another at the collegiate church of St. Mary in
the Fields, and a third at the hospital church.
The hospital assigned salaries of 10 marks a year
to each of these three priests, and applied the,
remainder to the poor in the hospital. (fn. 11)
On 11 June, 1526, Bishop Nicke visited
the hospital and examined severally the staff,
which then consisted of a master, three
fellows, three stipendiary chaplains, and two
chaplains who served for their board and lodging.
John Hekker, the master, presented the inventory of goods and the annual account, and
said that the number of fellows was deficient,
for according to the foundation there should be
six, and there were only three. The house was
in debt to a small extent. One of the chaplains
complained that divine service was sometimes
badly observed in quire, on account of the loud
wrangling of two of the fellows. (fn. 12)
At the visitation of 1532 there were four
fellows present. One of them, William Hekker,
said that he knew nothing, as he was so often
absent. The three other fellows, Robert
Church, John Fisher, and Edward Osborne,
all bore witness to the ruinous condition of the
bakehouse, and of a guest chamber over the
parlour. Osborne also stated that two of the
servants of the house, the butler and baker,
were married, which was not seemly, and they
ought to be removed. He also complained
that the master (John Hekker) had received
26s. 8d. for the obit of Master John Sayle at
the feast of Purification, and it was not paid in
at the feast of Barnabas. (fn. 13)
The master, Thomas Cappe, and six chaplains
or brethren, Robert Church, Edward Osborne,
John Blomeville, Robert Dowe, John Browne,
and Edmund Frewyll, signed their acceptance of
the royal supremacy on 30 August, 1534. (fn. 14)
The last two signatures were probably those of
two chaplains appointed under some of the
chantry bequests, and not under the original
foundation.
The Valor of 1535 gives full details of the
financial standing of the hospital. The rectories
of Costessy, Calthorpe, Hardley, Seething, Mundham St. Peter, Mundham St. Ethelbert, Cringleford, and Repps with Bastwick, yielded an
annual income of £54 18s. 10d., and the altarage
of the altar of St. Helen within the hospital,
£1 6s. 8d. The gross income from several
manors and other temporalities was £116 13s. 1d.
From the outgoings we find that four brethren
each received 36s. 8d. for their food, and the
sisters 52s. each for their food and labour in
attending on the poor who came to the hospital. The dinner for the seven grammarschool boys, at 8d. each per week, came to
£12 2s. 8d. The thirteen poor persons having
a daily meal and the six poor persons who had
board and lodging at the hospital cost £19 15s. 3d.
The 180 poor persons who received a loaf,
three eggs, and a piece of cheese on the Annunciation, and the 100 who were similarly fed
on St. Dunstan's day, cost 20s. The twentyfour persons who prayed daily for Bishop Goldwell at 1d. a day cost £4 6s. 8d.
The master, Thomas Cappe, for his board
and stipend, and for the board of a servant, received £12 1s. 4d. Robert Church, Edward
Osborne, John Blomeville, and Robert Dowe,
received amongst them £20 8s. There remained of clear annual value, after the payment
of all dues, pensions, alms, and salaries, the sum
of £58 3s. 0½d.
When the exchange of the bishopric lands
and revenues took place in 1535 the advowson
of the hospital passed to the king, who, in 1537,
granted the mastership to Robert Codde.
In 1546 Nicholas Shaxton, D.D., ex-bishop
of Salisbury, was appointed master, but apparently only for the purpose of securing its
surrender, for on 6 March, 1547, the bishop of
Norwich, as patron of the hospital, Nicholas
Shaxton as warden, and John Fisher and Robert
Dowe, two of the chaplains or fellows, in the
chapter house of the hospital, surrendered the
buildings into the young king's hands, in accordance with the intention of his father, Henry
VIII. (fn. 15)
The crown transferred the dissolved hospital
of St. Giles and its possessions to the mayor,
sheriffs, and commonalty of Norwich, for the
relief of poor people, to be called ' God's House,'
or the ' House of the Poor in Holm Street,' and
the office of master now came to an end. The
further history of this foundation, the Great
Hospital, is to be found in the Charity Commissioners' reports.
Masters of St. Giles' Hospital, Norwich
Hamon de Calthorpe, (fn. 16)
c. 1276
Robert, (fn. 17) occurs 1279
Robert Godwin, (fn. 18) 1288
Martin de Brunsted, (fn. 19) 1289
Thomas de Hemmersby, (fn. 20) occurs 1296, 1311 (fn. 21)
Peter Herringflet, (fn. 22) occurs 1313
Roger de Metyngham, (fn. 23) elected 1360
John de Derbyngton, (fn. 24) elected 1372
Roger de Erpingham, (fn. 25) elected 1375
John son of Robert de Thornham, master of
Sparham, (fn. 26) elected 1394
Benedict Cobbe, (fn. 27) elected 1395
Robert Fonline, (fn. 28) elected 1399
Roger Prat, (fn. 29) resigned 1412
Robert Spenser, (fn. 30) elected 1412
William Sepyngton LL.B., (fn. 31) 1431
Roger Pratte, (fn. 32) elected 1431
John Walpool, (fn. 33) elected 1436
Hugh Acton, (fn. 34) elected 1437
John Schott, LL.D., (fn. 35) elected 1464
John Smith, (fn. 36) elected 1479
Oliver Dynham, (fn. 37) elected 1489
Thomas Schenkwyn, (fn. 38) elected 1495
Nicholas Goldwell, (fn. 39) elected 1497
Robert Honywood, (fn. 40) elected 1498
John Jullys, (fn. 41) 1499
William Cooper, (fn. 42) 1513
John Hekker, (fn. 43) occurs 1526
Thomas Cappe, LL.D., (fn. 44) elected 1532
Thomas Simmondes, (fn. 45) 1535
Robert Codde, (fn. 46) 1537
Nicholas Shaxton, (fn. 47) elected 1546, last master
There is a very imperfect seal ad causas of
this hospital attached to a charter of 1306, showing the church with central tower. (fn. 48)
A cast of a fine impression of a late thirteenthcentury seal of the master and brethren
(13/8 in. × 11/8 in.) bears St. Giles seated, with
an arrow-wounded fawn leaping at him. In the
base a cross surmounted by a mitre. Legend:—
✠ S'MAGRI . ET . FSM . IBĪ - EGIDII . DE . NORWIC (fn. 49)
82. THE HOSPITAL OF HILDEBROND, NORWICH (fn. 50)
This hospital was founded in the ancient
parish of St. Edward, at the beginning of the
thirteenth century, by Hildebrond le Mercer,
citizen, and Maud his wife. The patronage
was given to the bishop. The founders also
built, for the use of the brethren and occupants,
a chapel, dedicated to the honour of St. Mary,
adjoining the west end of St. Edward's church;
but when this church became wholly appropriated
to the hospital, and the parish united to that of
St. Julian, about 1269, the chapel was only
occasionally used, as the church was served by
the hospital chaplain. The hospital was usually
known as Hildebronde's, and the various collations by the bishop in the institution books are
entered in that name; but it was also termed
St. Mary's Hospital, and at a later date was
popularly known as Ivy Hall.
In the fourteenth-century register of the
archdeaconry of Norwich, known as the
' Norwich Domesday,' is the following entry,
cited by Mr. Kirkpatrick:—
' There is in the parish of St. Edward a
certain hospital called Hildebronde's Spytelle,
lying near the churchyard on the south side,
built with houses and a hall, and chambers for
the master. In which said hospital, poor people
wanting lodging ought to be entertained, and to
have a certain quantity of fuel (focalium) from
the master.' It is further stated that the master
had a chapel annexed to St. Edward's church
(the simple inventory is given), where he could
celebrate mass at his pleasure. The annual
value of the hospital was estimated at 100s.
The infirmarian of the cathedral paid the
hospital a rent of 2s. 6d. (fn. 51) ; the city paid it 7s. 6d.
for stalls in the market; and the hospital of St.
Giles 2s.
The common fate of so many of these
hospitals overtook the one founded by citizen
Hildebronde, namely the absorption of the major
part of the income by the master. The bishops
allowed the mastership to be held with other
benefices, and seem to have considered their
duties at an end when they had made a collection. That abuses were rampant in 1428
appears from the will of William Setman, some
time mayor of the city. He requested that a
conference might be held with 'the master of
Ivyhalle, late called the Hospital, in Conysford,
in Norwich,' and if the master willed for the
future to observe the ancient order of the
hospital, and discharge its burden, then the rent
of two houses was to be restored. (fn. 52)
From subsequent wills, cited by Kirkpatrick, it
would appear that some care for the poor was
discharged by this hospital later in the century;
Thus Robert Steynton, rector of St. Julian's,
bequeathed to it, in 1440, a green coverlet and
a pair of blankets, and a pair of sheets; a will
of 1457 made a bequest to the poor of the
hospital of Ivy Hall, and a third will of 1459
left 2s. to the repair of the beds of the same
hospital. (fn. 53) Spoliation, however, again set in, for
the Valor of 1535 gave the annual value of the
messuage, with court and garden, of this hospital,
as only 14s. (fn. 54)
Masters of Hildebrond's Hospital, Norwich
Nicholas, (fn. 55) rector of Bernham, 1262
John de Royng, (fn. 56) died 1290
Thomas de Mutforde, (fn. 57) appointed 1290
John de Wykelwoode, (fn. 58) appointed 1320
Robert de Langele, (fn. 59) resigned 1353
Henry de Plumpstede, (fn. 60) appointed 1353
Peter Mighel, (fn. 61) presented by the king, 1385
John Eyr, (fn. 62) presented by the king, 1385
John de Elmham, (fn. 63) appointed 1397
William Friseley, (fn. 64) appointed 1401
John Haukins, (fn. 65) appointed 1405
John Bowd, (fn. 66) appointed 1412
William Hayton, (fn. 67) appointed 1413
William Toby, (fn. 68) appointed 1419
Roger Malmesbury, (fn. 69) resigned 1471
Thomas Massen, (fn. 70) appointed 1471
John Jollys, (fn. 71) 1497
Thomas Deye, (fn. 72) 1504
John Underwood (fn. 73)
83. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. PAUL, NORWICH (fn. 74)
The hospital of St. Paul, Norwich, otherwise
called Norman's Spital, from Norman, the monk
who was the first master, was founded by the
prior and convent of Norwich in the early part
of the twelfth century in the time of the first
bishop of Norwich. It was erected in a place
then called Cows Croft, in the north-eastern
district of the city.
Though begun in the time of Bishop Herbert,
it was not finished until the days of Bishop
Everard (1121-45). That bishop, Ingulf the
first prior of Norwich, and Richard de Beaufo,
bishop of Avranches, were jointly responsible
for the completion of the work of building the
hospital and the church, which was consecrated
by Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, in honour
of St. Paul the apostle, and St. Paul the Hermit.
The church was made parochial, but was appropriated to the hospital in 1198.
Bishop Beaufo gave the hospital the churches,
glebes and tithes of the four churches of
SS. Michael, Peter, Andrew, and Margaret at
Ormesby, which he had of the gift of Henry I;
and the prior and convent of Norwich bestowed
on it tithes at Marsham and Blickling, and lands
at Sprowston and Thorpe. Morel de Morley
and Emma his wife, who were received into the
fraternity of the priory of Norwich, gave in return
for that favour the tithes of Filby to the hospital.
Various confirmation charters of the early beneficiaries are set forth in the Monasticon. (fn. 75) Bishop
Everard (1121-45) granted forty days' pardon
to all who came to the church and offered there
during the octave of St. Paul's Day in the summer,
that is the Commemoration of St. Paul on 30 June.
The hospital maintained fourteen poor men or
women, who were impotent through old age or
chronic illness. The master or warden was to
be always a monk of Norwich in priests' orders,
and was appointed by the prior and convent.
In the time of Master Walsham, appointed
1429, the scheme of the hospital was changed.
No more men were admitted, and the benefits
were reserved for fourteen sisters, seven of whom
were termed whole sisters and received board,
lodging, and clothing in the hospital; whilst the
other seven half-sisters had no lodging assigned
them. A wardeness or mistress was at the
same time appointed to overlook the sisters; her
appointment rested solely with the master. The
master served the church and exercised general
oversight concerning the hospital and its property.
The hospital buildings were repaired directly by
the priory.
The account rolls of the hospital of St. Paul's
preserved in the treasury of the cathedral are
seven in number, and are for the years 1423, 1430,
1431, 1436, 1441, 1443, and 1509. The average
receipts were about £65 and the expenditure
was somewhat in excess of the income.
To each of the full sisters, thirteen in number,
in 1436 the sum of 8d. a week was paid. Of
the less favoured sisters who were apparently on
an out-relief list (mediis sororibus), eleven received
3d. a week for 39 weeks, and ten the same for 13
weeks. There were also small gifts made to the
sisters and to the poor in God's House on Christmas Day, whilst the oil for a lamp in each of the
resident sisters' houses or rooms cost 2s.
Bishop Goldwell visited the hospital on
9 October, 1492. The master, Denis Hyndolveston, eight full sisters, and seven half-sisters
were in attendance. Their several examinations
are not given, but the report states that the sisters'
stipends were not paid at the right time, and this
because the rents of the houses were very often
considerably overdue; that the stipends were
frequently delayed in payment for eight weeks,
and sometimes for ten; and that no sister was
admitted into the house save on payment of ten
marks or more, which was contrary to the foundation. The bishop adjourned the visitation till
the morrow of the feast of St. Clement; but the
continuation is not on record.
On 8 June, 1532, Dr. Miles Spenser visited
the hospital as the bishop's commissary, Henry
Manuel was then master. The names of Margaret Dyver, gardiana, and nine other sisters are
given; but no injunctions or report are attached
to this record.
When the Valor of 1535 was drawn up,
£20 7s. 1d. was named under the alms of Norwich Priory that went yearly to the support of
divers women lodging in the hospital of St. Paul,
and of other poor women coming daily to the
hospital. It is stated that they prayed daily for
the soul of Richard, formerly archdeacon of Norwich (Bishop of Avranches) there described as the
founder, and for the souls of Henry I, Stephen,
and Matilda.
On the dissolution of the priory, no more
masters were appointed, but the hospital escaped
Henry VIII's clutches, and remained as heretofore
under a wardeness. Henry Manuel the last
master, was made third prebend of the cathedral
church by the charter of 1533, and the hospital
and revenues were assigned to the new dean and
chapter.
On the death of Margaret Dyver, Agnes Lyon
was appointed wardeness and the sisters reduced
to twelve. On the death of Agnes in 1545, the
dean and chapter granted to the corporation of
Norwich at 1d. a year, a lease of the hospital
' theretofore used for the relief and lodging of
poor strangers and sick impotent persons,' on
condition of its being used for like purposes. But
after litigation, this condition fell through in 1571,
and this ancient hospital was turned into a bridewell, or house of correction for idle and lazy
beggars.
Masters of St. Paul's Hospital, Norwich (fn. 76)
Norman
Geoffrey, 1190
Reginald de Pantesford
Robert de Stokesley, 1266
John de Plumstede, died 1283
Nicholas de Yarmouth, 1357
Ralph de Filby, 1370
Thomas Lynne, 1398
John de Hasyngham, 2411
William Silton
Richard Corpusty, 1418
Richard de Walsham, 1429
Robert Bretenham, 1470
Denis de Hindolfstone, 1492
Simon de Lenn, 1493
William Manuel, 1497
Brother Castellyn, 1504
John Sibley, 1513
Henry Manuel, 1532.
Mistresses of St. Paul's Hospital. (fn. 77)
Mary Green, 1443
Cecily Mortimer, 1452
Margaret Puregold, 1513
Margaret Dyver, 1532
Agnes Lyon
84. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN, NORWICH (fn. 78)
A hospital under the rule of a master, was
founded by Bishop Herbert, in honour of
St. Mary Magdalen, before the year 1119. It
was built nearly a mile to the north-east of the
city out of the Fybridge or Magdalen gate.
This is disputed by the present officials. It had
a chapel on the north side. Blomefield gives a
long list of thirteenth-century benefactors. The
master and brethren obtained a royal permit, in
1334, to collect alms in churches for the space
of two years. (fn. 79)
In 24 Henry VIII, this hospital was united to
that of St. Giles, but they were again speedily
separated. The appointment of the master was
in the hands of the bishop.
The Valor of 1535 returned the annual value
of what was then termed the chapel of St. Mary
Magdalen juxta Norwich at £10. Here again
the whole funds seem to have been absorbed by
the chaplain or master. (fn. 80)
Masters of St. Mary Magdalen's Hospital, Norwich
Adam de Schotesham, (fn. 81) 1288
Nicholas Banningham, (fn. 82) resigns 1291
Peter de Dallyng, (fn. 83) appointed 1291
Ralph de Baketone, (fn. 84) appointed 1315
William de Merle, of Blickling, (fn. 85) appointed
1324
Nicholas atte Briggs, of Gamingham, (fn. 86) resigned
1328
Adam Wombe, (fn. 87) appointed 1328
Robert de Crapeton, (fn. 88) appointed 1332
Peter Alleyn of Morningthorpe, (fn. 89) appointed
1334
Peter de Attlebrok, (fn. 90) appointed 1336
Martin de Sandryngham, (fn. 91) appointed 1341
John de Bromholm, (fn. 92) appointed 1342
Roger de Nafferton, (fn. 93) appointed 1345
Thomas de Cloxton, (fn. 94) appointed 1350
John Multon, (fn. 95) appointed 1367
Richard, son of Thomas atte Townende of
Eton, (fn. 96) appointed 1393
Geoffrey de Tanyard of Higham, (fn. 97) appointed
1407
Thomas Bontemps, (fn. 98) appointed 1416
John Thornegg, (fn. 99) appointed 1436
Simon Thornham, (fn. 100) appointed 1444
William Stillington, (fn. 101) 1503
Thomas Brerewood (fn. 102)
William Leveson, (fn. 103) 1528
John Sampon, (fn. 104) 1530
85-89. THE LAZAR-HOUSES AT THE NORWICH GATES
In addition to the most important lazar or
leper-house of Norwich, namely, that of St.
Mary Magdalen, at the same distance from the
city, there were five other small houses, originally designed for leprous sufferers, making one
for each of the chief gates. In pre-Reformation
wills, small bequests to the leper-houses at the
five gates were frequent.
I. The leper-hospital of St. Mary and St.
Clement, usually called St. Clement's, without
St. Austin's gate. It was of early foundation
and supposed to be founded by one of the first
bishops of Norwich. It had no endowment,
and the burial place was in St. Clement's churchyard. There was a master, and leprous brethren
under him. (fn. 105)
II. Outside. Westwick and St. Benet's gate
was a leper house, long continued as a poor-house
after the dissolution. It must have had property,
for it had a common seal. The dedication is
said to have been the same as the adjacent parish
church, namely, to St. Benedict. (fn. 106)
III. On the outside of Needham or St.
Stephen's Gate, was the leper-house of St. Stephen.
The master or guardian, who officiated daily in
the chapel, was nominated by the prior of.
St. Faith s, Horsham, as the house was built on
the priory fee, and admitted by the bishop and
mayor. It continued a hospital after the dissolution. (fn. 107)
IV. Immediately outside Fybridge or Magdalen
gate, there was a lazar-house of some size, on
the east side of the way, with a chapel attached.
In 1448. the chapel was rebuilt with a graveyard attached, for hitherto the inmates had been
buried in the neighbouring churchyard of All
Saints. (fn. 108)
The dedication of this hospital and chapel
is not given by any Norwich historian, and it
seems probable that this was the hospital of
St. Leonard (the commonest dedication of a
lazar-house) referred to in the Close Rolls of
Edward III, who in 1335, instructed the chief
forester of Sherwood to permit Robert de
Stanford, keeper of the hospital of St. Leonardwithout-Norwich, to fell four oaks in any wood
of the abbot of Rufford within the forest, and
to carry them away where he wishes as the
abbot had given these four oaks in aid of the
repair of the houses of the hospital. (fn. 109) It is
possible, however, that this may have been the
hospital next mentioned.
V. The fifth of these gate lazar-hospitals
was on the outside of Newport or St. Giles's
Gate. According to Blomefield, it was founded
in 1343 by Balderic de Taverham, an astonishingly late date for a leper foundation. But a
reference given by Tanner shows that this was a
blunder; Walter Knot, in 1308, granted to
Richard de Ely ' his seven cottages in which
leprous people dwell, lying together without
St. Giles's Gate, on the north side of the king's
highway.' (fn. 110)
90. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. SAVIOUR, NORWICH
Licence was obtained in 1305 by the master
and brethren of the hospital of St. Saviour,
Norwich, to hold a messuage, ten shops, and 2s.
rent in Norwich, the gift of Richard de Breccles,
chaplain. (fn. 111)
Blomefield states that this hospital was founded
earlier in the reign of Edward I, and that in
1297 Richard de Coselany, fishmonger, conveyed to the founder (Richard de Breccles) a
stall in the bread-market. (fn. 112)
Nothing further is known as to this hospital,
or when it was dissolved.
91-94. OTHER SMALL HOSPITALS AT NORWICH
Blomefield makes mention of several other
small hospitals or almshouses of pre-Reformation
date within the city.
In the parish of St. Benedict was an almshouse given very anciently by Hugh Garesohn
or Garzon. (fn. 113)
Danyel's almshouses in St. Stephen's parish,
were founded in 1418 by John Danyel, merchant, and by Walter his brother. (fn. 114)
God's House, St. Giles, was a hospital or
almshouse for the poor, founded by John le
Grant in Lower Newport, in the reign of
Edward I. It was rebuilt by Bishop Lyhart in
1472. The nomination of the inmates rested
with the bishop. The house was confiscated at
the dissolution. (fn. 115)
God's House, St. Margaret, was founded for
the benefit of the poor, by Robert de Aswardby,
in 1292. It stood on the west side of the
churchyard of St. Margaret Westwick. (fn. 116)