38. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN, CIRENCESTER
According to a statement of the townsmen of
Cirencester in 1343, the hospital of St. John was
founded by Henry I and endowed with a third
of the tithe of the royal demesne of Cirencester,
and three cartloads of underwood from his forest
of Oakley every week. (fn. 1) They declared that by
the king's provision a chaplain should sing mass
daily in the oratory of the hospital, and should
have a daily allowance of food from the monastery
of Cirencester. The abbot and his predecessors
since 1155 had appropriated the tithe, had made
laymen wardens, and taken money for appointments for life. 'And so,' the townsmen continued, 'they have abated the said chantry of the
king a long time; but that a widow from
Cirencester, Aleyze de Weston, gave £60 to the
abbot for having a chantry to chant for herself,
as appears by a charter which they could show.'
It is probable that the hospital was founded
by Henry I. (fn. 2) In 1222 Honorius III confirmed
the appropriation of it to the abbot and convent. (fn. 3)
There is no evidence to show that the hospital
had a chapel which was served by its own
chaplain from the time of the foundation. In
1319 Cobham, bishop of Worcester, notified to
the master and the poor of the hospital that,
whereas there were many old and feeble persons
among them who were unable to attend mass at
the parish church, he had granted a licence to
them to build an oratory within the hospital and
to have a priest to celebrate mass, saving the
rights of the mother church. (fn. 4) An undated
document in the chartulary of the monastery gives
the abbot's consent, and provides that the mass
in the chapel of the hospital should be celebrated
after the mass in the parish church, and that the
warden should pay to the convent all offerings
made in the chapel. (fn. 5) The abbot and convent
stated that the hospital was founded and built by
their predecessors, and that they had always been
in possession of the hospital free from the visitation of the ordinary, with full power over its
affairs, and the right of appointment to the
custody of it. The inmates were supported by
the alms of the faithful, and the daily distribution
of food by the almoner of the monastery, according to ancient custom.
The complaints of the townsmen were fruitless. On 20 September, 1348, for £300,
Edward III gave a charter to the abbot and
convent confirming their rights and privileges,
including the appropriation of the hospital and
the power of appointing and removing the
custos. (fn. 6)
In 1535 the office of keeper of the hospital
was held by one of the canons, and its income was reckoned as a part of the revenues of
the monastery. (fn. 7) The gross yearly value was
£6 5s. 4d.; there was a rent charge of 5s. 6d.,
and 13s. 4d. was paid for salt and flour to make
pottage for the poor folk therein. (fn. 8) In the
almoner's account a special alms of 6s. 8d. to the
sisters of St. John is noted. (fn. 9) It is probable that
they had their maintenance from the almoner.
At the dissolution of the monastery the hospital
was treated as a separate endowment, and continued. In 1546, as the result of the commission
to inquire into hospitals and chantries, it was
returned that the hospital was founded to find a
master or keeper for ever with a salary of
£2 15s. 4d., to find six poor folks for ever to have
yearly 14s. 5d.; the gross income was £4 14s. 7d.,
the expenses were 10s. 6d., and the poor therefore
got an additional sum of 14s. 4d. (fn. 10) The hospital
was their parish church. It has had a continuous existence to the present day as an
almshouse. (fn. 11)
39. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. LAWRENCE, CIRENCESTER
According to the statement of the townsmen
of Cirencester in 1343, Edith Biset of Wiggold
founded the leper hospital of St. Lawrence on
land which she held of the king in chief. (fn. 12) The
lepers used to be maintained partly by the alms of
the townsfolk and partly from the lands and rents.
They alleged that the charters of the hospital had
been taken away by Adam abbot of Cirencester
(1307-19); that brother John of Baudington,
who had been appointed master by Adam de
Orlton, bishop of Worcester (1327-32), was
ousted in 1336 by the abbot and his council, and
a sister appointed in his stead. The lands were
worth 40s. a year. The truth seems to be that
Abbot William Hereward converted the leper
hospital into an almshouse for women, but the
complaints of the townsmen were of no avail.
In 1343 Edward III confirmed the hospital to
the abbot and convent. (fn. 13) In 1546, at the inquisition into hospitals and chantries, a return
was made that the hospital of St. Lawrence was
founded for two poor women, and that they had
for their stipend the value of the land, which
was worth £3 6s. 7d. a year. (fn. 14) There was no
chapel in the hospital. (fn. 15) It has had a continuous
existence as an almshouse. (fn. 16)
40. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. THOMAS, CIRENCESTER.
The hospital of St. Thomas at Cirencester
was founded for four decayed weavers by Sir
William Nottingham, who died in 1427. (fn. 17)
It has had a continuous existence.