29. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, MALMESBURY
The date of the foundation of this hospital is
unknown, but it apparently incorporated an ancient chapel said, according to tradition in 1389,
to have been established and endowed by the
citizens of Malmesbury in recognition of King
Athelstan's charter. (fn. 1) In a late 13th-or early 14thcentury rental of Malmesbury Abbey the hospital
of St. John was said to lie in 'Nethwalle', and to
pay 2s. 8¾d. for its site, which comprised lands
apparently formerly belonging to William Aldune
and Thomas Purs and a parcel called De Profundis. (fn. 2)
In 1247 the master, brethren, and sisters acquired
2 messuages in Malmesbury from Walter and
Emma Bodmin, and received the donors and their
heirs into all spiritual benefits of the house. (fn. 3)
In the mid-13th century the Vicar of St.
Paul's, Malmesbury, whose parish included the
hospital, accused the master and brethren of encroaching upon his rights. Bishop Walter of
Salisbury (probably Walter de la Wyle, 1263-71)
referred the complaint to his official, Constantine
of Mildenhall, and later confirmed Constantine's
award: the hospital was to remain subject to the
vicar and the members of its unhabited household
(familia) were to be in the same position as other
parishioners; no parishioner was to be admitted to
the sacraments at the hospital; the prior, brethren,
and sisters, wearing their habit and 'signs', might
worship in their chapel, but they were to pay their
oblations and lesser tithes to the church, and 3s. 4d.
and ½ pound of wax yearly to the vicar; the priors
were to swear in the vicar's presence to observe
this award within eight days of institution. (fn. 4)
The king granted the 'chapel' in 1344 to one
of his clerks (already incumbent of a church in
Dorset), and in 1345 he granted it to Robert of
Frome. (fn. 5)
In June 1410 the Bishop of Salisbury gave an
indulgence of forty days in favour of the hospital. (fn. 6)
Leland, in 1540-2, found a 'poore hospitale'
outside the town on the road to Chippenham; (fn. 7) the
chantry commissioners of 1545 and 1547 did not
mention any hospitals at Malmesbury. It is
recorded that the property was confiscated; that
during Elizabeth's reign John and William Marsh
of London gave their share to John Stump, who
bought the rest from John Herbert and Andrew
Palmer of London and transferred the whole to
the corporation in 1580 for £26 13s. 4d. (fn. 8) In
1616 a meeting of the borough court was held for
the first time at the hospital, where it continued
thereafter to meet. (fn. 9)
The hospital existed, as an almshouse, in 1622;
in 1623 the aldermen and burgesses accepted
responsibility for repairs and maintenance, and in
1629 they allocated individual payments amounting
to £20 to a schoolmaster and the 'five poor pepell'
at St. John's. (fn. 10) By Letters Patent of 1697 (fn. 11) the
'Hospital or Almshouse' was confirmed to the
aldermen and capital burgesses, with a direction to
pay £10 to the schoolmaster and £10 to the five
poor persons 'according to ancient custom'. Mr.
Moffatt wrote in 1805 that the site of the priory
was then charged with £20 a year towards the
support of a free school and an almshouse, perhaps
established in 1629. (fn. 12) The Charity Commissioners
found in 1834 that the property had been held
from time immemorial by the aldermen and
capital burgesses as an almshouse, and in 1904
that six widows of freemen were in residence. (fn. 13)
The widows remained in occupation until 1948. (fn. 14)
The Court House, the almshouse, some cottages, and the gasworks lying at the foot of the hill
on the road from Malmesbury to Chippenham
now occupy the hospital site; and a blocked doorway, of perhaps about 1200, (fn. 15) reset, with a tympanum and lower jambs, survives from the
medieval frontage. Above it is an arch of medieval
stones framing an inscription which records that
in 1694 Michael Weekes gave an additional endowment of £10 a year.
Masters
Walter, occurs 1247. (fn. 16)
William of Tauton, appointed 1344, resigned
1345. (fn. 17)
Robert of Frome, appointed 1345. (fn. 18)