Hospitals: Hospitals of Hythe

53. THE HOSPITALS OF HYTHE

Several deeds belonging to the hospital of St. Bartholomew, Hythe, have been calendared by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, (fn. 1) and from these it appears to have been in existence in 1276, although its foundation is unknown. A hospital of St. Andrew, Hythe, is mentioned in 1334. (fn. 2)

Edward III on n May, 1336, granted licence for Hamo bishop of Rochester to acquire in mortmain land and rent to the value of £10 yearly to found a hospital for poor persons in the town of Hythe. (fn. 3) In the same year the bishop and the commonalty of the port of Hythe founded a hospital, to be called the hospital of St. Andrew, on the spot where the bishop and his parents' had their origin in the parish of St. Leonard, Hythe, for ten poor persons of either sex, one of whom was to be master. The master and poor persons were to be appointed by three wardens, who were to be nominated by the commonalty; and no leper was to be received into the house, as there was already another hospital in the town. (fn. 4) But we hear no more of the hospital of St. Andrew, except in connexion with a loan by the prior and chapter of Christchurch, Canterbury, a few years later. (fn. 5) On 10 May, 1342, the bishop had another licence to found a hospital for thirteen poor persons on his own soil in the town of Hythe. (fn. 6)

The intermediate history of the hospitals is not known; but there were two at the time of the Reformation, both of which survived the Dissolution. In the Valor (fn. 7) of 1535 the hospital of St. Bartholomew, Saltwood, is said to own possessions of the gross value of £4 6s. yearly, the net value being £3 12s. 4d.; and in 1546 the gross income is given (fn. 8) as £8 16s. 4d., and the net incomeas £7 14s. 1d. Matthew Parker, archbishop of Canterbury, in a return of the hospitals in his diocese in 1562 calls it the hospital of St. Bartholomew near -Hythe (fn. 9) and says: It is of the foundation of Hamond, bishop of Rochester, in the time of Edward the third. Ther ar according to the foundation thirteen poor people, who are releaved by almes and by the revenues of the said hospital, amounting to the summe of 8l. by yere, with the charges. The said hospitall is taxed to the tenth, and payeth 7s. 2d.

The almshouse of St. John, Hythe, was found in 1546 (fn. 10) to have a gross income of £5 19s. 8½d. and a net income of £4 10s. 10½d. Archbishop Parker in 1562 calls it the hospital of St. John of Hythe, and says:

It is only founded, ordered and charitablie maynteyned by the jurates and commonaltye of the said town, and their are kept and dayly maynteyned eight beds for the needy poor people and such as ar meymed in the wars. The said hospital is endued with so much landes as do amount to 6l. by the yere. It is not taxed to the tenth.

The Charity Commissioners reported (fn. 11) in 1837 that the hospital of St. Bartholomew was under the control of three wardens appointed as vacancies occurred by the mayor, jurats and commonalty in common assembly; the custom having been always to appoint the senior jurat resident in Hythe or the immediate neighbourhood. There were four in-brothers and eight in-sisters, besides one out-brother called the wood reeve, and appointed by the lord of the manor of Postling according to an old custom dating back as far as 1581, because a previous lord of Postling gave a wood to the hospital; and each alms-person received £5 quarterly. The hospital of St. John consisted of a common kitchen and apartments for nine alms-people, who were appointed by the trustees and paid £4 quarterly each. The rentals of the two hospitals are given in detail.

Masters Or Priors Of St. Bartholomew's,

Hythe (fn. 12)
William Archer, occurs 1310
Walter de Ryadessole, occurs 1356
para id="p11">Philip Allom, occurs 1364
William Pedlynge, occurs 1406
Simon atte Stone, occurs 1414
William Pedlyng, occurs 1415
John Cowlese, occurs 1418
Richard Petham or Pecham, occurs 1428
Thomas Chesman, occurs 1456
John a Brege, occurs 1463
John Barbour, occurs 1464
John Martyne, occurs 1467
Thomas Norman, occurs 1471
William a Tighe, occurs 1477
John Rabere, occurs 1478
William Houlde, occurs 1480
Richard Prowde, occurs 1484
John Gararde, occurs 1493
John Brigge, occurs 1494
John Chillenden, occurs 1504
Edmund Copyn, occurs 1514
William Olyfant, occurs 1555
Richard Brachey, occurs 1575
John Miller, occurs 1583
Paul Brett, occurs 1616
John Adams, occurs 1646
John Hobday, occurs 1671, 1674