40. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, WOOTTON BASSETT
Walter of Wylye, Bishop of Salisbury, issued
in June 1266 his ordinances for a hospital to be
founded at Wootton Bassett by Sir Philip Basset,
the patron, and Thomas de Gay, the rector. (fn. 1) The
xenodochium, or hospital, with a free chapel of the
Virgin, St. John the Baptist, and All Saints, was
to have the bishop's special protection and the
same liberties as such houses enjoyed elsewhere in
the diocese of Salisbury. The normal rights of the
parish were to be protected, but the master or
warden and brethren and their household, within
their own boundaries, were not to be subject to
the parish church or to the rector. Basset and his
heirs and assigns, as patrons, were to choose a
priest and present him to the bishop for admission.
The master thus admitted was to have charge
of the hospital in matters spiritual and temporal,
and was not to be deprived without the bishop's
authority. The priest-brethren, one or two or
more as means allowed, were to be clad in a regular
russet habit marked with a cross, like the habit of
the master and brethren of the bishop's hospital at
Salisbury, and they were to keep the same observances; when there were three priests, a daily
service was to be said at the altar of the Blessed
Virgin Mary. Thirteen poor men from the
parish, or more if means allowed, were to be maintained every day. All the priest-brethren were to
obey the master; all were to sleep in one dormitory
and feed in one refectory, except during sickness. If
the mastership were to be vacant for four months,
the right of presentation passed to the bishop.
The hospital is said to have enjoyed rights in
Braden Forest of cutting timber for building and
of hunting with bow and hound. (fn. 2) In 1280-1 it
held a messuage and lands in Tockenham, (fn. 3) and
in 1292 land valued at 10s. in Quidhampton (in
Wroughton). (fn. 4)
The only four presentations to the mastership
recorded in the bishops' registers were made by
the lords of the manor of Wootton Bassett, who
were the patrons of the house. Thus the second
Despenser presented in 1307, Queen Isabel in
1342 and 1353, and Edmund, Earl of Cambridge,
in 1380. (fn. 5) John Badby, presented by the queen
in 1342, became Isabel's attorney in England in
1343. (fn. 6) When he relinquished the hospital in 1353
he was Isabel's treasurer, Rector of Norton
Davy (Lincs.), and a Canon of Salisbury and of
Wells. (fn. 7)
In 1406 Edward, Duke of York, then lord of
the manor, had licence to grant the advowson of
the hospital to the Prior and Convent of Bradenstoke, 5 miles to the south-west. At the same time
Thomas Wroughton, clerk, who had been collated to the hospital by the duke's father, was
given licence to grant the house with its endowments to Bradenstoke. (fn. 8) At this time the house
was valued at not more than 6 marks. (fn. 9) In Bishop
Simon of Ghent's register a later entry against
the year 1307 records modo non est ibidem tale
hospitale; (fn. 10) in Wyville's, against 1353, there is a
similar note that this priory was elsewhere called
a hospital, and its site was no longer known.
Masters, Wardens, or Priors
John Duraunt, presented 1307. (fn. 11)
Thomas of Langley, replaced 1342. (fn. 12)
John of Badby, presented 1342. (fn. 13)
Roger of Walton, presented 1353. (fn. 14)
Thomas Hall, died 1380. (fn. 15)
John Burgeys, presented 1380. (fn. 16)
Thomas Wroughton, presented before 1403. (fn. 17)