26. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, CRICKLADE
Warin, chaplain to Henry III, founded at
Cricklade a xenodocium or guest-house for the use
of poor wayfarers. (fn. 1) A local tradition, interesting if
not authoritative, declares that wounded Crusaders
were 'brought up the river in barges and lodged in
hospitals dedicated to St. John at Cricklade and
Lechlade'. (fn. 2)
On 1 April 1231 Henry, at Marlborough, gave
orders that Warin and subsequent wardens of
the hospital should have free cheminage through
Braden Forest with their horses and carts to fetch
for the use of the poor and the brethren any brushwood, charcoal, and timber given to or bought by
them in the forest. (fn. 3) In 1241 the Prior Augustine
quitclaimed to John Barlet, for £11 10s., a carucate of land at Nethercott (fn. 4) in Swindon. In 1250
the king ordered that the warden should have his
cheminage (as he did before G. de Langel' was
justice of the forest) until he had spoken to the
warden of the forest. (fn. 5)
In 1263 the prior was found to hold one plot
of the manor of Cricklade for 3d. a year; (fn. 6) in
1280-1 he held 12 acres of meadow between
Chelworth in Cricklade and Latton, as well
as 8 acres of land at Chelworth which Roger
Muntescut had sold to him in Henry III's time. (fn. 7)
During the short and bitter quarrel between
Edward I and the clergy over taxation, the sheriff
seized the prior's temporalities into the king's
hand; the prior made fine (with other superiors)
before the chancellor, and in February 1297
he had protection until All Saints. (fn. 8) Hugh le
Despenser, as warden of the forests (in 1312-15),
impeded the prior's freedom of cheminage; the
prior petitioned (in French) for redress, which was
given by authority of Parliament. (fn. 9)
The Bishop of Salisbury commissioned his
official and his penitentiary in 1309 to act for him
in all matters concerning the church of Cricklade,
the prior and brethren and sisters of the hospital,
and other persons in the town. (fn. 10) In 1313 Thomas,
son of John Davy, granted to the prior and
brethren a rent of 50s. out of a croft in Great
Chelworth. (fn. 11)
Adam Kynny, brother of the hospital, was
elected by his brethren as prior in 1322; (fn. 12) during
his rule there is record of a professed sister and of
a lay brother. (fn. 13) Walter of Ocle was elected in
1340, on Adam's resignation; John Coldrop (a
brother of the hospital) in 1353, on Walter's
resignation; and Michael Gardiner in 1361. (fn. 14)
Two interventions by the Crown followed: the
king granted the wardenship in November 1389
to Thomas Yorkfleet, clerk (who as Rector of
Chiddingfold (Surr.) had been ordained acolyte
in 1379 and priest in 1381), (fn. 15) and in November
1390 to John Fairford, clerk. (fn. 16) But in 1391 John
Consayl was presented as prior, by an unspecified
patron, on the resignation of Richard Chaddesden. (fn. 17)
In 1415 Robert Hallam, Bishop of Salisbury,
in agreement with his chapter, published revised
statutes. (fn. 18) The 'sinodocium or hospital', with its
chapel and buildings, was to be held for ever religious, and devoted especially to the needs of poor
priests, who were unable, through age or infirmity,
to carry out their functions; it was also, so far
as its means allowed, to give rest and refreshment to poor wayfarers. A prior, rector, or provost was to be elected (with the bishop's licence)
from the congregation or from outside; he was to
live a regular life, and be clothed in a regular habit.
With him there were to be (if means allowed) two
priests, a deacon, and a sub-deacon, living under
rule. One of the priests was to say the offices, and
the other the mass for the dead; the rector was not
to be too proud to take his turn on occasion. The
inmates were to be admitted without any bargain
or simony; they were to increase in number as
endowments increased; they were to wear a regular uniform habit; they were not to go outside the
hospital without the rector's permission, or drink
in the town, or consort with laymen.
The prior collated in 1431 was directed to reform the hospital, but he resigned four years later;
both he and his predecessor received pensions of
5 marks on their retirement. (fn. 19) A collation in
1493 was to 'the hospital of St. John the Baptist
in Cricklade priory'. (fn. 20)
Thomas Perham, prior in 1535, returned the
gross income of the hospital as £4 15s.; the 'allocations' were rents of 2s. to the Dean and Chapter
of Salisbury (then rectors of St. Sampson's Church,
Cricklade), 2s. to the queen, and 4½d. to 'Mr.
Servynton' (Cervington, lord of the manor of
Chelworth). (fn. 21) The chantry commissioners of 1546
gave the income as £4 11s.; their successors in
1548 reported that the priory or free chapel was
worth £4 15s. 8d. a year, and that the incumbent,
Thomas Perham, aged 70, resided on a small
benefice in Dorset. (fn. 22) The whole property was
sold in 1550, excepting bells and lead from the
roof; the 'priory or free chapel' was described as
in 'the borough' of Cricklade. (fn. 23)
The sale in 1550 comprised a number of small
properties in Cricklade, both within and without
the borough. The 'Priory'—a name in use today
—was outside the walls; the hospital, within the
town, may be identified with 4 messuages and
gardens held in 1550 by Richard Birge, one of
which was on the site of the police station in the
High Street. (fn. 24) It may be assumed that the prior
and his four assistants (under Hallam's statutes)
occupied the 'priory', while the retired priests and
occasional wayfarers used the 'hospital'.
Masters, Wardens, or Priors
Warin, occurs 1231. (fn. 25)
Augustine, occurs 1241. (fn. 26)
Richard, occurs 1284. (fn. 27)
Ralph, occurs 1315. (fn. 28)
Adam Kynny, 1322, resigned 1340. (fn. 29)
Walter of Ocle, presented 1340, resigned
1353. (fn. 30)
John Coldrop, presented 1353. (fn. 31)
Michael Gardiner, elected 1361. (fn. 32)
Thomas Yorkfleet, appointed 1389. (fn. 33)
John Fairford, appointed 1390. (fn. 34)
Richard Chaddesden, resigned 1391. (fn. 35)
John Consayl, presented 1391. (fn. 36)
John Grene, presented 1431. (fn. 37)
Hugh Newport, presented 1435, resigned
1470. (fn. 38)
John Newport, presented 1470, resigned
1478. (fn. 39)
Thomas Gogh, presented 1478, resigned
1493. (fn. 40)
David Jones, presented 1493. (fn. 41)
Thomas Perham (or Parham or Parriman),
occurs from 1532 to 1548. (fn. 42)