33. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. LEONARD, PETERBOROUGH
A hospital of St. Leonard for the service of
the lepers was established at an early date in
connexion with the great monastery of Peterborough. The first mention of it is at the death
of Abbot John of Séez in 1125, when, as already
stated, there were thirteen lepers and three
servants in the lazar house. The next time it
is named is in the year 1147, when Robert de
Torrell, in his infirmity, came to Peterborough,
and there in the chapel of the hospital of St.
Leonard before many witnesses gave himself to
God, assigning all his lands at Cotterstock and
Glapthorn to the monastery, on condition of
diet for himself and four servants during his life,
and that at his death they should receive him in
a monk's habit. (fn. 1)
Abbot William of Woodford (1295-9) made
special provision for this hospital, ordering that it
should be supplied yearly with forty ells of cloth
by the almoner at the feast of St. Martin, with a
stone of ointment and a stone of tallow (sepi); and
with three bacon pigs, namely, one each at
Christmas, before Lent, and at Easter. It is
interesting to note, as affecting the question of
the infection of leprosy, that the monk in charge
of the lepers (servens dictorum infirmorum) had
the right of dining with the abbot's household at
Christmas, at Easter, and on the feasts of St.
Peter and All Saints. (fn. 2)
In this same abbot's time incidental mention
is made of the annual payment of a penny on
St. Peter's Day to the brethren of the hospital of
St. Leonard. (fn. 3) Also in 1296, when a taxation
roll of all the goods of the abbey was drawn up,
the hospital of the lepers, 'extra Burgum,' is
named as taxed at £6, but paying no tithe. (fn. 4)
The return of 1535 shows that eight poor
men living in the hospital of St. Leonard were
then in receipt of 40s. each a year, and that they
prayed daily for the souls of the founders. (fn. 5)
Dean Patrick says, 'There is still a well near
the Spittle, which is called St. Leonard's Well,
whose water hath been thought medicinal.' (fn. 6)
34. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. THOMAS THE MARTYR, PETERBOROUGH
The hospital of St. Thomas of Canterbury
was founded at the gates of the monastery
by William of Waterville and completed by
Abbot Benedict (1177-1194), the great friend
and biographer of the martyred prelate, and a
former prior of Canterbury. (fn. 7)
Abbot Acharius (1200-1210) granted to the
almoner of the monastery the offerings of the
chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr (where many
of his relics were preserved) for the use of the
hospital pertaining to it. (fn. 8)
The funds were used for the support of
resident poor sisters, and for the sick whom they
tended. A casual entry in the rough account
book of William Morton, the almoner of the
monastery in the days of Abbot Ashton, shows
that the admission of sisters to this hospital was
a duty assigned to that official. In 1455 Joan
Gattele was received among the sisters of the
chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr by the
almoner. (fn. 9)
The return of 1535 shows that at that time
there were eight poor women living in the
hospital of St. Thomas, each of whom received
the annual sum of 33s. 4d. (fn. 10)