28. HOSPITAL OF ST. THOMAS, SHERBORNE
Very little is known of this hospital or chapel
dedicated to St. Thomas Becket, but commonly
known as St. Thomas atte Grene or on the
Grene, yet from a reference in a charter (fn. 122)
granted by Bishop Richard le Poor of Salisbury
in 1228 to his tenants at Sherborne 'between
St. Thomas's chapel and the castle,' it appears
to have been in existence in the early part of the
thirteenth century, and was probably founded
during that period when dedication to the honour
of that most famous and popular of English
saints was high in fashion.
Presentation to the hospital was in the gift of
the crown and the custody was usually held by
king's clerks together with other benefices; on
20 June, 1395, Richard II ratified the estate of
his clerk, John de Wendelyngburgh, as parson
or warden of the chapel of St. Thomas on the
Grene, (fn. 123) Sherborne, and on 22 September of
the same year following the death of John
committed the wardenship of the hospital to
Nicholas Slake, king's clerk; (fn. 124) both these
wardens held the office in plurality with other
benefices. In 1405 John Brunyng is given as
rector of the Chapel de Grene according to the
register of Dean Chandler. (fn. 125)
In the reign of Henry VIII Leland describes
'Thomas Bekettes chapelle by the New Yn'
as still standing, but 'incelebrated.' (fn. 126) The college
and chantry commissioners of Edward VI reported that it was worth 62s., had no plate or
ornaments, but two bells valued at 26s. 8d. (fn. 127)
Roger Hord or Horsey, late incumbent, received
the whole of the emoluments (fn. 128) to his own use
without performing any manner of service in
the chapel; 'there is no power (poor) people nor
beadmen found nor relieved of the premises.' (fn. 129)
The chapel was granted by Edward VI to John
Doddington and William Ward. (fn. 130)
Wardens of St. Thomas's Hospital, Sherborne
John de Wendelyngburgh, occurs 1395, (fn. 131)
died in the same year
Nicholas Slake, appointed 1395 (fn. 132)
John Brunyng, occurs 1405 (fn. 133)
John Hord or Horsey, last incumbent (fn. 134)
Footnotes
| 122 |
By inspeximus of Richard II. Pat. 5 Ric. II,
pt. 1, m. 11. |
| 123 |
Ibid. 18 Ric. II, pt. 2, m. 9. |
| 124 |
Ibid. 19 Ric. II, pt. 1, m. 18. |
| 125 |
Hutchins, Hist. of Dorset, iv, 257. The warden
is mentioned again as 'rector of the Grene' in a
grant of Henry VI in 1454 to the master and brethren
of the hospital of St. John the Baptist and St. John the
Evangelist of Sherborne, enabling them to acquire
thirty-nine messuages in the town, and describing
one of these same messuages as situated between the
tenement of the rector 'de la Grene,' called the
George Inne,' on the north and the king's highway
leading from the Grene to the Castle on the south;
Pat. 32 Hen. VI, m. 15. |
| 126 |
Leland, Itin. ii, 49; iii, 110. |
| 127 |
Chant. Cert. 16, No. 8. |
| 128 |
Entered again as worth 66s. |
| 129 |
Chant. Cert. 16, No. 92. |
| 130 |
Hutchins, Hist. of Dorset, iv, 257. |
| 131 |
Pat. 18 Ric. II, pt. 2, m. 9. |
| 132 |
Ibid. 19 Ric. II, pt. 1, m. 18. |
| 133 |
Hutchins, Hist. of Dorset, iv. 237. |
| 134 |
Chant. Cert. Dorset, 16, No. 92. |