More information : Hospital at Thropton (1)
The hospital of St James was also called Rothbury or Thropton
Hospital; its site is now called Wreighburn. In the taxation of 1296
the master of the hospital was assessed at £3.10.10. The rector of
Rothbury at this time was James of Spain; he was presented in 1283.
The hospital may have received its dedication as a compliment to him,
in which case it must have been founded not earlier than 1283. In
1495, Robert Mauntell, Chaplain, was presented to the chapels or
chantries called St James' Spitell in the parish of Rothbury and St
John's Spitell in the parish of Warkworth by the King. In 1537 they
were conveyed to Henry VIII. In 1569 two chapels in the barony of
Rothbury were granted to Nicholas Forster. One of these must have been Rothbury Hospital and the other a chapel which belonged to it [See
Northum 52 SW 4]. Anthony Radcliffe was of Thropton Hospital in 1615.
In 1852 it was eventually sold to William Hawthorn, who rebuilt the
house and called it Wreighburn. Parts of the C18th house are
incorporated in the present building but there are no remains of the
Md hospital except a stone on which a cross is incised which is
preserved in the garden. (2)
The freestone block has a finely-cut circular cross inscribed. The
slab measures 2 feet high and 17 ins wide, the diameter of the cross
being 10 ins. The hospital may have been a Hospitium of the Knights
Hospitallers of S John of Jerusalem. (3)
[NU 0312 0197] Wreighburn House (NAT) (4)
Thropton. Hospital on unknown type. Dependent upon Hulne Priory (?)
Dedicated to St James. Founded prior to 1283. Dissolved prior to 1569
(5)
Lesser Hospital/Hospice [Types as scanty or no remains]. (6)
Wreighburn House is situated upon a SW facing slope above the banks ofthe Wreigh Burn near its confluence with the Coquet which flows to theS. Mrs Hughes, owner of the land confirmed that Wreighburn House
stands on the site of the Hospital, and that no remains of it are now
to be seen. The present structure is all modern, though built and
added to at several periods. The cross-inscribed stone stands agaisnt
the N wall of the house W of the front door. It measures 0.7m 0.4m x
0.2m (7)
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