17. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY IN THE PEAK
In the High Peak, about half way between
the villages of Hope and Castleton, by the roadside, stood a spital house or hospital, dedicated to
the honour of St. Mary, which was founded for
certain infirm poor of the district. There is no
doubt that it was of early establishment, but of
its exact history little can now be learnt. William
of Worcester, who traversed Derbyshire in 1478,
says that the hospital house of the Peak was
founded per uxorem domini Peverelle, meaning
thereby the wife of William Peverel, the reputed
illegitimate son of the Conqueror. (fn. 1)
In 1394, (fn. 2) John, duke of Lancaster, confirmed
the grant of William Peverel, formerly lord of
the High Peak, by which he gave to the warden
of the hospital of the Blessed Mary of Castleton
in the Peak pasture for a mare and its foals, and
eight oxen, at all seasons of the year, and for a
sow (fn. 3) with its litter during the season of pannage
in the pasture of Tydale. The grant further
provides that every warden of the hospital shall
be a chaplain and celebrate divine service continually therein. (fn. 4)
Richard de Creyk, warden of the hospital of
St. Mary, Castleton, formed one of the suite who
accompanied Queen Philippa on her journey to
France in 1338, (fn. 5) and we may suppose it to have
been due to his influence that in January, 1342-3,
Queen Philippa granted in frankalmoin for the
honour of God and Mary His mother, to Richard
Whetton, warden of the hospital of St. Mary,
Castleton in the High Peak, 60s. of rent due to
her by Nicholas atte Forde, out of lands in
Blackbrook, Chapel-en-le-Frith, and elsewhere,
towards the sustenance of a chaplain to celebrate
divine services daily in the chapel of the hospital, (fn. 6)
which grant Edward III confirmed in July of
the same year. (fn. 7)
This hospital was valued in 1377 at £3, and
four bushels of oatmeal per annum. (fn. 8)
In 1377, Richard II granted to Thomas
Brounflete, one of the royal clerks, the custody of
this house, therein termed the hospital of Peak
Castle, which had been recently seized into the
king's hands by the escheator of the county of
Derby, to hold the same from the date of seizure
so long as it remained in the king's hands, without rendering aught therefor, provided that he
supported the burdens of the hospital during his
custody. (fn. 9)
In 1454 Robert Nedeham who had had a grant
of the hospital of Castleton for life from Henry VI
surrendered his letters patent to the intent that
Queen Margaret might appoint Thomas Ragg,
chaplain, to whom she accordingly granted the
post, stipulating that he should keep the buildings
in good repair and be perpetually resident. (fn. 10)
On 6 July, 27 Henry VIII, a grant was
made by the king to Humphrey Stafford, esq.,
and Nicholas Borde and Ralph Bradbury, gentlemen, of the profits, advowson, or presentation and
collation of warden of the Spittelhouse of the
High Peak, in the same way as George Savage,
clerk, had held it, when vacant through death or
resignation; to be held per se or otherwise on
condition of mass and other divine suffrages being
celebrated four times a year for the king's good
estate and for the souls of the founders. (fn. 11) The
grantees, however, had some time to wait before
enjoying this concession as, in 1542, George
Savage was still keeper of the hospital of Castleton, in which capacity he complained to the
chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster that
whereas all previous masters were seised of a rent
of 21s. 8d. from land called Blackbrook in the
Frith, now held by William Lee of Eggynton,
the said William, since the death of his father
Richard Lee, refused to pay the said rent. (fn. 12)
In the Valor Ecclesiasticus of 1535 there is a
special entry under 'Hospital de Spyttelhowse in
Alt' Peke in Com' Derb.'' It there states that
at an inquisition held at Tideswell on 6 May,
before Edward Eyre, George Warnon (? Vernon),
and George Barley, esq., it was said on oath
by divers honourable persons that the average
annual income of the hospital or spittel house in
the High Peak, between Castleton and Hope,
was but 40s.
The hospital for some time before its disappearance seems to have served no other
purpose but to provide a small income for a
non-resident warden. The certificates of the
last year of Henry VIII show that it possessed
no goods, and that its income of 40s. a year had
been granted by the king to one John Savage.
Masters or Wardens of St. Mary's In The Peak
William de Yelvercroft, occurs 1330 (fn. 13)
Richard de Creyk, occurs 1338 (fn. 14)
Richard Whetton, occurs 1342 (fn. 15)
John de Hermesthorp, appointed 1368 (fn. 16)
Thomas Brounflete, appointed 1377 (fn. 17)
Walter atte Grove, appointed 1380 (fn. 18)
John Allot, appointed 1409 (fn. 19)
John del Holme, occurs temp. Henry VI (fn. 20)
Robert Nedeham, resigned 1454 (fn. 21)
Thomas Ragg, appointed 1454 (fn. 22)
George Savage, occurs 1536-42 (fn. 23)