28. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. EDMUND, KING AND MARTYR, GATESHEAD
The origin of the hospital of St. Edmund the
King is unknown. (fn. 1) The earliest mention of it (fn. 2)
occurs in 1315, when the bishop of Durham
collated Hugh de Lokington to the wardenship,
and directed the bailiff of Gateshead to put him
in seisin of the hospital. (fn. 3) There is no contemporary record of the endowment, but in a report
of the house issued by the Royal Commissioners,
in 1594, it is stated that its possessions consisted
of 'a demesne lying at the hospital and a parcel
of ground called Shotley Bridge,' the total value
of which is given as £10. (fn. 4) In October, 1378,
Bishop Hatfield, who had earlier in the year
ordered a visitation of the house, (fn. 5) granted to it
in free alms three cottages 'all lying within the
soil of the said hospital'; (fn. 6) and in Hatfield's Survey
c. 1382) it is stated that the master of the
hospital of St. Edmund the King holds 'placeam
pro quodam chamino' from the hospital as far
as Friar's Goose (le Frergos) by the park of the
lord of the same, for which a rent of 4d. was
paid. (fn. 7)
Bishop Neville granted to the master a licence
to work coals in the hospital lands and lead
them to the Tyne, over the bishop's soil, paying to him and his successors £5 per annum; (fn. 8)
and Bishop Booth (1467-8) gave permission for
the coals to be carried to the bishop's staithes on
the river. (fn. 9)
The hospital was founded for poor persons
of both sexes. (fn. 10) In Bishop Hatfield's grant
its inmates are described as 'brethren, sisters,
and paupers.' The report of 1594 states
that a sum of 13s. per annum was assigned
for the relief of each poor brother and sister,
and the rest of the revenue of the house, excepting what was spent on repairs, was at the
disposal of the master. The inmates were admitted, removed, and corrected at the master's
discretion. (fn. 11)
Beyond occasional notices of the appointment
of masters there is scarcely any mention of the
house until 1546, when the following account
of it is given by the commissioners appointed by
Henry VIII:
The hospital of St. Edmund in the parish of Gateshead was founded by the predecessors of the bishops
(sic) of Durham by report, but to what intent or
purpose we know not, for we have not yet seen the
foundation thereof. Yearly value, 109s. 4d.—value
according to this survey £8 as appeareth by rental;
whereof is paid out for the King's Majesty's tenths
12s. 3d. and remaineth clearly £7 7s. 9d., which Dr.
Bellasis, now Master of the same, hath towards his
living, and giveth out of the same four marks by the
year to a priest to say Mass there twice in the week
for the commodity and easement of the parishioners
that do dwell far from the Parish Church. (fn. 12) It stands
about half a mile distant from the Parish Church of
Gateshead aforesaid. Value of ornaments, etc., nil,
for there be neither goods ne ornaments pertaining to
the same to our knowledge. There were no other
lands nor yearly profits, etc. (fn. 13)
Though, in 1594, the inmates had dwindled to
three—two old men and one woman—the hospital
continued to exist after the dissolution, and was
re-founded by James I in January, 1610-11.
Unfortunately all the documents relating to the
house from the time of its foundation had been
entrusted, in 1587, to John Woodfall, the then
master. He died almost immediately afterwards
at his home in London, the evidences were lost,
and no trace has been found of them since. (fn. 14)
James ordained that the establishment should
consist of a master and three poor men, and
should be called 'King James' Hospital'; and
he endowed it with the house and lands 'which
the master and brethren had uninterruptedly
held and enjoyed for the last sixty years.' (fn. 15) Since
the date of King James' foundation the rectors of
Gateshead have successively occupied the position
of master of the hospital.
Masters of the Hospital of St. Edmund
the King, Gateshead
Hugh of Lokington, coll. 9 June, 1315. (fn. 16)
Richard, occ. 1366. (fn. 17)
William of Brantingham, occ. 1374, (fn. 18) 1378. (fn. 19)
Reginald Porter, coll. 1399. (fn. 20)
John Newton, coll. 1407, p.r. R. Porter. (fn. 21)
John King, coll. 1410-11, p.r. J. Newton, (fn. 22)
occ. 1436. (fn. 23)
John Shirwood, occ. 1467, (fn. 24) 1469. (fn. 25)
A Master, name unknown, occ. 1507. (fn. 26)
Anthony Bellasis, occ. 16 January 1544-5, (fn. 27)
1546. (fn. 28)
Robert Claxton, occ. 1552. (fn. 29)
John Woodfall, coll. 6 May, 1579, (fn. 30) died c.
1587. (fn. 31)
Clement Colmore, coll. 4 February, 1587-8. (fn. 32)
The rector of Gateshead for the time
being.