39. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. LEONARD, TOWCESTER
A leper hospital dedicated to St. Leonard was
founded at an early date on the outskirts of
Towcester, by the north bridge. Simon de
Pateshull, sheriff of the county, rendered account
in the year 1200 of 40s., the gift of the king to
leprous brethren (fratres leprosi) of Towcester. (fn. 1)
An early thirteenth-century deed of Robert,
son of Roger Forester, conveyed to Lawrence,
son of Simon Ters, an acre of land in the south
field of Towcester, between the land of Baldwin
and the lepers' hospital of St. Leonard. (fn. 2) Another
deed of 1286, giving boundaries, mentions the
court of the hospital of Towcester. (fn. 3)
In 1384 letters patent were granted by
Richard II. in ratification of the estate of John
Forster, clerk in the chapel of St. Leonard,
Towcester. (fn. 4) In 1387 John Forster resigned,
and the mastership of the hospital, with the
chapel of St. Leonard's, was granted for life to
William de Horbury, king's clerk. (fn. 5) In the following year the mastership was granted to
Nicholas Boteway, a clerk of the chapel within
the royal household; these last patents state that
the wardenship was then in the king's gift by
reason of his custody of the land, and heir of
John de Hastings, earl of Pembroke. (fn. 6)
The date of the decay of this hospital is not
known, but it was probably before 1447, as there
is no mention of it in the bequests made by
Archdeacon Sponne in his will of that year.
Masters of St. Leonard's Towcester
John Forster, (fn. 7) resigned 1387.
William de Horbury, (fn. 8) appointed 1387.
Nicholas Boteway, (fn. 9) appointed 1388.