36. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. LEONARD, STOKE
Much confusion has been made by Thoroton,
Tanner, and others between the hospital of
St. Leonard, Newark, and the hospital of the
like dedication at Stoke juxta Newark. It is,
however, certain that there were two separate
establishments, and it may safely be assumed that
both were primarily intended for lepers. Tanner's
statement (fn. 191) that the Stoke Hospital is mentioned in Ralph d'Aincourt's foundation charter
of Thurgarton Priory, though often repeated,
goes beyond the warrant of the text; all that is
therein stated as to this place has reference to a
charge of 10s. infirmis de Stokes. (fn. 192)
Several of the references given in Tanner and
repeated in Dugdale to rolls and records pertain
to the Newark Hospital, but the following relate
to Stoke.
In 1315 licence was granted for the alienation
in mortmain to the master of the hospital of St.
Leonard, Stoke by Newark, by Henry de St. Lis
of 10½ acres of land in Elston and Stoke, and by
William le Venur of 3 acres of land in the same
towns, and by Henry de Sibthorpe of 1 a. 3½ r.,
also in the same towns. (fn. 193)
In 1332 William de Melton, Archbishop of
York, sanctioned a reordination of this hospital
(founded originally to further the worship of God
and to sustain the poor), as requested by John
Chanson, the master, Robert de Bilbrough and Robert de Donham, chaplains, and Simon de Botelsford, clerk, the brethren of the hospital. These
officials of the hospital had at that time, through
exertion among their friends, increased the endowments by 40 acres of land and 30s. in rents,
for the celebrating of sixty masses annually by
the chaplains or brother associates; thirty of these
masses on the principal feasts, and the other
thirty during Lent. In recompense for this
trouble the master, or whoever celebrated these
masses, was to receive 5s. out of the rent of a
certain tenement in the town of Stoke. (fn. 194)
In August 1332 licence was obtained for the
alienation of various small plots of land to the
hospital of the yearly value of 10s. (fn. 195) There
was a further alienation of other small plots of
the annual value of 13s. 4d. in 1339, (fn. 196) and
again in 1347 of others worth 13s. 6d. a year. (fn. 197)
Richard II in 1392 licensed the alienation by
Thomas Angle, clerk, and Alice Porter of a
messuage and half an acre of land in Stoke, and
by John Coney and Alice his wife of another
messuage in the same place, to the master and
brethren of St. Leonard's Hospital, Stoke by
Newark, in full satisfaction of a licence granted
them by the late king to acquire lands, tenements,
or rents to the yearly value of 6 marks. (fn. 198)
A grant was made in 1477 by Edward IV to
Laurence Duckworth, rector of Iden (Sussex), of
the mastership of the Stoke Hospital, which was
in the king's gift by reason of the custody of the
lands of Francis Lord Lovell, a minor, on an
exchange of benefices with Richard Sharpuls. (fn. 199)
At the time of taking the Valor of 1534 it
appeared that the prior and convent of Thurgarton paid yearly 24s. to the master of Stoke
Hospital for certain tenements in that town, and
also a further annual sum of 16s. in lieu of fifteen
cart-loads of wood. (fn. 200)
The commissioners of 1545-6 reported of the
'Spittle of St. Leonard and St. Anne in Stoke,'
that it had been founded by the ancestors of the
Lyndecortes 'for the relief of poore people and
now the Kinge is patron by reason of the
attainder of the late Lord Lovell.' The annual
value was declared to be £8 13s., and the income
for the support of three poor people and for the
repair of the hospital and property; but at that
time there were only two poor women resident. (fn. 201)
The commissioners, however, of Edward VI
two years later returned the income as £10 19s.
and stated that the whole of it went to the then
master, William Burden, who held 'other great
livings.' (fn. 202)
The hospital was suppressed by Edward VI,
but refounded by Philip and Mary. (fn. 203) It was
again suppressed under Elizabeth, and the site
and lands were granted in 1576 to John Mersh
and Francis Greneham. (fn. 204)
Masters of Stoke Hospital (fn. 205)
John Chanson, 1332
Nicholas Wymbysh, resigned 1399
Hugh Hanworth, 1399
Edmund Chaterton
Robert Sharpuls, resigned 1477
Laurence Duckworth, 1477
William Burdon, occurs 1535, (fn. 206) 1547 (fn. 207)