More information : (SU 50572961) St. Magdalen's Hospital (GT) (Site of) (1)
St. Mary Magdalen's hospital. Its foundation is uncertain, but was
possibly by Bishop Ilchester (1174-89).
It is first mentioned in the register of Bishop Pontoise (1280-1304).
In 1788 the remains of the old building and chapel were pulled down
and the materials used to build six almshouses at Water Lane, East
Soke.
St. Mary Magdalen: founded 1158, a hospital for lepers and the poor.
It was for a priest master, 9 brethren and 9 sisters, lepers, but by
1336 it appears that it was not exclusively for lepers. (2)
The stone inscribed:-
Site of hospital
of
St. Mary Magdalene
for Lepers 1173-1189
is at SU 50552959 by a fence dividing two fields. It is very close to the siting symbol on the O.S. 6 inch of 1938, and there seems no
reason for assuming that it has been moved.
The field to the south of the stone is under pasture and there are no
remains of the hospital visible. The northern field is under kale and there is a wide scatter of flint, roof tiles, window glass and pottery on a raised platform of ground. This platform is approximately 120m. from east to west and extends north into the field for 30m. It is bounded on the north and east sides by slight scarps, the eastern one can be seen extending south into the pasture field for a further 20m.
These scarps probably represent the position of the wall that enclosed the hospital. (3)
Prints of Hospital (see AO/61/120/6 and 7). (4) |