Hospital of St Nicholas, Nantwich
Encyclopedia
The Hospital of St Nicholas (variously known as St Nicholas Hospital, the Hospice of St Nicholas and the free Chapel and Hospice of St Nicholas) was a medieval hospital for travellers, which gave its name to Hospital Street in the English town of Nantwich
in Cheshire
. Founded in 1083–84 by William Malbank, first baron of Nantwich, it was dissolved in 1548 and probably later demolished.
It was established at the east end of the town's single street, which subsequently became known as "the high street of the hospital", the modern Hospital Street. The site might have belonged to the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
The hospital was a religious house which accommodated sick, infirm and destitute travellers. It had a chapel with a chaplain to minister to the spiritual welfare of the occupants. It also distributed alms to the poor. The institution was financed by a mixture of tolls from travellers, tithe
s from the parish, rents on its lands and property, and charitable gifts. The Hospital of St Nicholas was one of two medieval hospitals in or near the town, the other being the Hospital of St Lawrence
(or St Lawrence and St James) on Welsh Row, which fell within the parish of Acton
. Founded as a house for lepers
, the Hospital of St Lawrence became a hospital for the infirm poor in around 1348.
The earliest recorded chaplain of the Hospital of St Nicholas is Sir John in 1259. The buildings of the hospital are first mentioned in a document of 1280. After the death of the third baron of Nantwich without male issue, the advowson
– the right to appoint the hospital's chaplain – passed in the female line, being acquired by the Lovell family in around 1350; from this date, the chaplains or masters are recorded in the Bishops' Registers of Lichfield
.
In 1535, by order of Henry VIII
, the "lands and tenements" belonging to the hospital were valued at £6 11s 4d, with additionally tithes of 13s 1¾d; the chaplain at this date was William Gwyn. The final chaplain, William Hill, succeeded Gwyn in 1541. On 3 November 1542, presumably in anticipation of the hospital's dissolution, Hill leased "all that hys ffree Chappell or Hospitall with all houses, messuages, tenements, lands, tythes, leadds salt wallings emoluments &c. thereto belonging" to Raphe Wilbraham.
The hospital was dissolved in 1548. At this time, it was said to have no plate, jewels, goods, ornaments, lead or bells. Hill, the chaplain, was then 50 years old; he received an annual pension of £5, which continued to be paid until 1561. The lease to Wilbraham was annulled and, on 11 November 1549, Edward VI
granted to Sir Thomas Bromley of Nantwich, a justice of the King's Bench
:
Bromley also acquired the lands and property of the Chantry House of Bunbury, paying to the Crown a total of £435 16s 8d. By 1569, Bromley had sold the Nantwich property to Richard Wright. The hospital lands were leased in 1597 to Richard Wilbraham, and the Wilbraham family purchased the site in 1637. The Wilbrahams later leased the land to a tanner, who built a tannery
on part of the site. The original site of the Wright's Almshouses
, built in 1638 at the junction of Hospital Street and London Road, is recorded as being on part of the former hospital's land.
The fate of the hospital's buildings is unknown, but they were probably demolished soon after the dissolution. The Victorian historian James Hall tentatively identifies 140–142 Hospital Street
, built in the late 16th century and referred to in 17th-century records as "ye Hospitall howse" and "St Nicholas Hospitall", as standing on the site of the medieval hospital. Stone remains were discovered in the garden of this property during 19th-century building works, which were identified by architect Thomas Bower
as being part of a Norman
doorway; they perhaps originated in the hospital.
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. Founded in 1083–84 by William Malbank, first baron of Nantwich, it was dissolved in 1548 and probably later demolished.
History
The Hospital of St Nicholas was founded by William Malbank, the first baron of Nantwich, in 1083–84, the eighteenth year of the reign of William I. His post mortem inquisition states:It was established at the east end of the town's single street, which subsequently became known as "the high street of the hospital", the modern Hospital Street. The site might have belonged to the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem.
The hospital was a religious house which accommodated sick, infirm and destitute travellers. It had a chapel with a chaplain to minister to the spiritual welfare of the occupants. It also distributed alms to the poor. The institution was financed by a mixture of tolls from travellers, tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
s from the parish, rents on its lands and property, and charitable gifts. The Hospital of St Nicholas was one of two medieval hospitals in or near the town, the other being the Hospital of St Lawrence
Hospital of St Lawrence, Acton
The Hospital of St Lawrence, variously known as St Lawrence's Hospital, the Hospice of St Lawrence and the free Chapel and Hospice of St Lawrence and St James, was a medieval house for lepers outside the town of Nantwich, Cheshire, England. It was located to the west of the town, on what is now...
(or St Lawrence and St James) on Welsh Row, which fell within the parish of Acton
Acton, Cheshire
Acton is a small village and civil parish lying immediately west of the town of Nantwich in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of...
. Founded as a house for lepers
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
, the Hospital of St Lawrence became a hospital for the infirm poor in around 1348.
The earliest recorded chaplain of the Hospital of St Nicholas is Sir John in 1259. The buildings of the hospital are first mentioned in a document of 1280. After the death of the third baron of Nantwich without male issue, the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
– the right to appoint the hospital's chaplain – passed in the female line, being acquired by the Lovell family in around 1350; from this date, the chaplains or masters are recorded in the Bishops' Registers of Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
.
In 1535, by order of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, the "lands and tenements" belonging to the hospital were valued at £6 11s 4d, with additionally tithes of 13s 1¾d; the chaplain at this date was William Gwyn. The final chaplain, William Hill, succeeded Gwyn in 1541. On 3 November 1542, presumably in anticipation of the hospital's dissolution, Hill leased "all that hys ffree Chappell or Hospitall with all houses, messuages, tenements, lands, tythes, leadds salt wallings emoluments &c. thereto belonging" to Raphe Wilbraham.
Dissolution
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
granted to Sir Thomas Bromley of Nantwich, a justice of the King's Bench
King's Bench
The Queen's Bench is the superior court in a number of jurisdictions within some of the Commonwealth realms...
:
Bromley also acquired the lands and property of the Chantry House of Bunbury, paying to the Crown a total of £435 16s 8d. By 1569, Bromley had sold the Nantwich property to Richard Wright. The hospital lands were leased in 1597 to Richard Wilbraham, and the Wilbraham family purchased the site in 1637. The Wilbrahams later leased the land to a tanner, who built a tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
on part of the site. The original site of the Wright's Almshouses
Wright's Almshouses, Nantwich
Wright's Almshouses is a terrace of six former almshouses now located on Beam Street in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. The building was originally erected at the junction of Hospital Street and London Road in 1638 by Edmund Wright , Lord Mayor of London in 1640–41, and is listed at grade II*...
, built in 1638 at the junction of Hospital Street and London Road, is recorded as being on part of the former hospital's land.
The fate of the hospital's buildings is unknown, but they were probably demolished soon after the dissolution. The Victorian historian James Hall tentatively identifies 140–142 Hospital Street
140–142 Hospital Street, Nantwich
140–142 Hospital Street, sometimes known as Hospital House, is a substantial townhouse in Nantwich, Cheshire, England, located on the south side of Hospital Street . The building is listed at grade II. It was built in the late 16th century by John Crewe, a tanner, whose sons Randolph and Thomas...
, built in the late 16th century and referred to in 17th-century records as "ye Hospitall howse" and "St Nicholas Hospitall", as standing on the site of the medieval hospital. Stone remains were discovered in the garden of this property during 19th-century building works, which were identified by architect Thomas Bower
Thomas Bower
Thomas Bower was an English architect and surveyor based in Nantwich, Cheshire. He worked in partnership with Ernest H. Edleston at the Nantwich firm, Bower & Edleston, which he founded in 1854. He is particularly associated with the Gothic Revival style of architecture.In 1883, Bower was living...
as being part of a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
doorway; they perhaps originated in the hospital.
Sources
- Garton E. Nantwich, Saxon to Puritan: A History of the Hundred of Nantwich, c 1050 to c 1642 (Johnson & Son Nantwich; 1972) (ISBN 0950273805)
- Garton E. Tudor Nantwich: A Study of Life in Nantwich in the Sixteenth Century (Cheshire County Council Libraries and Museums; 1983) (ISBN 0 903017 05 9)
- Hall J. A History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich, or Wich Malbank, in the County Palatine of Chester (2nd edn) (E. J. Morten; 1972) (ISBN 0-901598-24-0)
- Lake J. The Great Fire of Nantwich (Shiva Publishing; 1983) (ISBN 0 906812 57 7)