19. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN BAPTIST, HUNGERFORD
A hospital was founded at Hungerford in the
twelfth century in honour of St. John Baptist;
it was situated just outside the town on the
north side. On 14 May, 1232, Henry III,
when at Wallingford Castle, granted his protection to the brethren of this house, giving them
permission to seek for alms, and commending
them to the faithful. Later in the same year
these letters were renewed sine termino; they
were addressed to the prior—that is, to the master
of the hospital. (fn. 21)
On 20 May, 1281, an inspection and confirmation was obtained from Edward I of a charter
of Edmund his brother (dated the same day),
which was a ratification of the grant made by
Simon de Montfort, late earl of Leicester, to the
hospital and fraternity of St. John Baptist, Hungerford, for lodging poor, sick, and infirm persons.
The grant conveyed to the hospital half a virgate
of land and meadow on the north side of Hungerford. (fn. 22)
In October, 1399, Henry IV appointed John
Frank, king's clerk, master or warden of this
hospital, and at the same time appointed him
parson or warden of the free chapel of Standenby-Hungerford. (fn. 23)
It is stated by Tanner that the full endowments of this house in 1405 were 1 carucate of
land, 2 acres of meadow, six cottages producing
a yearly rental of 40s., and the oblations offered
on the feast of St. John Baptist. The prior or
warden had to celebrate in the chapel three times
a week, and to relieve the poor inhabitants of the
town in times of scarcity.
John Orum, archdeacon of Barnstaple, obtained dispensation from Pope John XXIII in
1411 to hold the archdeaconry together with a
canonry of Wells, the free chapel of Standen,
and the wardenship of the hospital of St. John
Baptist, Hungerford. (fn. 24) It was, alas, at this
period the rule rather than the exception for the
major part of the funds of England's hospitals,
both small and great, to be absorbed by nonresident masters.
20. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. LAURENCE, HUNGERFORD
There was a leper hospital for women at
Hungerford. Two references to it have been
found of the thirteenth century, but it was probably of earlier foundation. This leper house is
first mentioned in a recital of the bounds of the
forest of Savernake, in a perambulation of the
year 1228. (fn. 25)
The leper sisters of St. Laurence, Hungerford,
had royal protection granted them in 1232, with
commendatory permission to seek alms for their
house sine termino. (fn. 26)