R22 Information and Activities KS 2 3 4 Disability in Medieval Hospitals and Almshouses
This section describes how the long tradition of caring for their own communities and
sheltering passing pilgrims in religious houses led to the emergence of the first hospitals,
and how specialist hospitals and almshouses followed.
Whitby Abbey, North Yorkshire
© English Heritage
Medieval Monasteries and Convents
Medieval religious orders had been caring for their own sick or disabled brothers and sisters
for centuries. In the 7th century, the monastery of Whitby, Yorkshire is described as having
a building 'to which they used to take those who were infirm, or who seemed to be at the
point of death'. Seven hundred years later, the hospital of St Mary Magdalene in Ripon,
Yorkshire was caring for blind priests.
The Leper Chapel of St Mary
Magdalene, Ripon
© Rosie Sherrington
The Christian Duty of Shelter
Our word 'hospital' comes from the Latin word 'hospes' which means both host and guest.
The word reflects the Christian duty to shelter any stranger, particularly passing pilgrims.
In medieval religious houses, the passing poor were only expected to stay for one night.
Gradually however, the rules changed and the sick were allowed to stay until they
recovered, creating an early version of the hospital as we understand it today.
A medieval doctor examines a specimen jar.
© Exeter Cathedral Library, MS 3506 f236v
The First Hospitals
St John's Hospital in Canterbury, Kent was the first hospital to take on the long-term care of
people who were too ill or disabled to function in mainstream society. Established in the
late 11th century by Lanfranc, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the hospital gave 24-hour care
to men and women 'oppressed by various kinds of infirmities'.
Just down the road in Harbledown, Lanfranc set up a similar institution for lepers. By the
later Middle Ages, both London and York had about 35 hospitals, Norwich 15, Exeter 10 and
Canterbury nine. While some were large - such as St Mark's, Bristol - many were small, and
a few were hardly bigger than cottages.
The Layout of the Larger Hospitals
The basic layout of larger, purpose-built hospitals was quite consistent. A large 'infirmary
hall' with rows of beds on each side housed the sick and the infirm. The chapel was in full
view - the care of the soul was just as important as the care of the body.
Men and women were segregated, as at the hospital of St Nicholas in Salisbury, Wiltshire
where they had separate infirmaries linked to separate chapels.
Exterior view, Maison Dieu, Ospringe, Kent
© English Heritage Archive
Long-Term Patients
Those with long-term disabilities were treated alongside people with short-term or acute
illness. St James's Hospital in Chichester cared for 'six cripples, two people without legs and
two idiots' while Chatham hospital in Kent looked after blind and epileptic nuns and monks.
During this period, there was an increase in specialisation. In 1351 St Mary within
Cripplegate in London catered for 100 blind, paralytic and disabled priests. This was known
as 'Elsyng Spital' after its founder Elsyng who was an influential London merchant.
Medicine at this time was very limited, dealing with broken bones and cuts. There were few
cures for more complex diseases, so throughout the medieval period much more emphasis
was given to the power of prayer.
Almshouses
Almshouses developed from hospitals. These were homes built from the medieval period
onwards to shelter elderly, disabled or other people considered unable to look after
themselves (they were sometimes known as Maison Dieu). Almshouses were built to
provide long-term shelter for the disabled and aged infirm and soon became a common
feature of towns and cities. They were founded and supported with donations from kings,
church dignitaries, nobles and merchants, all keen to ease their passage to heaven with
good works.
Some trade guilds built almshouses for their members who could no longer manage life in
their own homes. Rules were strict and there was a relentless regime of prayer and
devotion, but the diet was generally good and the surroundings pleasant, often with
gardens. There were gifts and feasts on special days.
Places were in demand as the almshouse offered an escape from the poverty and danger of
life outside. As leprosy began to recede in the late 14th century, many former leper houses
became almshouses.
Outstanding Examples Survive
Numerous outstanding examples of medieval almshouses can still be found across England.
They include St Mary's in Chichester, Sussex; St John's in Lichfield, Staffordshire;
the Maison Dieu in Ospringe, Kent (founded by Henry III); Gaywood Road almshouses,
King's Lynn, Norfolk and the Guild of the Holy Cross almshouses in Stratford-upon-Avon,
Warwickshire. For more information please see Appendix 5 for links.
Activities
KS2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What was the original meaning of hospitals?
What were hospes for?
How did hospes become hospitals?
How were the larger hospitals laid out?
What were almshouses?
Write what you think it might have been like to live in a medieval almshouse.
Describe how you would feel about it.
KS3/4
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why did Monasteries and Churches become the sites of the first hospitals?
Why do you think these also became places where disabled people lived?
Why where the places people slept near to the places of worship?
Write a paragraph about the first larger hospital describing what it was like [Use the
English Heritage website to get more information].
5. Draw a plan of a large medieval hospital and annotate it with the different functions.
6. Write a short drama/role play between several inhabitants of medieval almshouses
and a merchant and a priest. [Describe each person’s background and character. The
scenario is that the merchant can no longer afford to fund the almshouse because of
a drop in prices. What will happen?]