More information : (SU 87110535) St James's Hospital (NR) (remains of) (TI) (1)
The hospital of St James and Mary Magdalene was founded before 1118 (?) for male lepers, and dissolved c.1442. Re-established c 1442 as an almshouse for men and women and dissolved 1621 (2).
The hospital was destroyed 1781, but parts were incorporated in a cottage built later (3). (2,3)
All that remains of St James's Hospital (nameplate) is some ashlar masonry incorporated in the walling of No 3 Swanfield Drive, a private residence; but whether this is in situ or re-used is uncertain. (4)
The original Hospital of St James and St Mary Magdalene was founded at some point up to 1118 outside the east gate of Chichester on what is now Westhampnett Road, Chichester. It was founded possibly by ‘the good queen Maud’, a consort of Henry I. According to a confirmation charter there were potentially eight original patients of the original hospital. The hospital was set up to care for people with leprosy and Henry II gave a charter of confirmation to ‘the infirm of Chichester’. In 1231, Henry III stated that the money that remained from the king’s alms should be given to the chaplain ‘of the house of lepers’. The hospital was controlled by a chaplain who was in charge of consenting to new patients and the general rules of the institution. Patients were liable to be removed from the care of the hospital if they married or of being absent without leave of the chaplain. Patients were given a weekly allowance; however this was strictly monitored and could be removed if rules were not adhered to. (5)
The last references to the hospitals use to care for a person with leprosy is from a will dated to 1418. In 1540 women could be referred, whereas previously the patients were male only. In the later 17th century the hospital went into decline, and by 1685-9 there was only one patient remaining. The last recorded use of the hospital was in 1755 when it was possibly used as a convalescent home for people with smallpox.
In 1947, a cemetery belonging to the hospital was discovered in nearby Swanfield Drive due to housing redevelopment. Archaeological excavations have taken place in the cemetery during which human remains were examined to study the historical context of leprosy and remains were found to have exhibited signs of the disease. (6)
The original hospital was destroyed by a fire in 1781 and all that remains of the original building has now been incorporated into a cottage nearby that was built in the late 18th century. The north wall of the cottage now incorporates part of the old structure. (7)
The National Grid Reference for the building is: SU87110535 (8) |