Hospitals, almshouses and charities
THE HOSPITALS AND ALMS-HOUSES, within the
jurisdiction of the city, are as follows: COGAN'S HOSPITAL, situated on the south side of St. Peter's-street,
almost opposite to the late gate of the Black Friars,
was founded by Mr. John Cogan, of this city, who
by his will proved in 1657, (fn. 1) gave his mansion, wherein
he then dwelt in St. Peter's, Canterbury, together
with his moiety of the manor of Littleborne, late the
archbishop's, which he had purchased, and such lands
and tenements, which should be purchased with his
assets, after his debts and legacies were first paid, to
his executors, to be settled on seoffees; his house, for
the habitation, and the lands and tenements, for the
support and maintenance of six poor widows of clergymen, who had lived in Canterbury, in Kent, or in
London, to be nominated and approved of by the
mayor of Canterbury, and five senior aldermen, or the
greatest part of them, according to the regulations
mentioned in the will; and he orders in it, that the
sixth woman placed in the house, should be some poor
widow or maid, who should attend on the other five
widows, and keep clean the house, &c. for them;
but his circumstances being perplexed and involved
in difficulties, and the manor of Littleborne, for there
seems to have been no other lands purchased, being
again resumed by the archibishop at the king's restoration, this house was left alone without any endowment whatever for this charitable purpose; this was,
however, in some measure compensated by future benefactors; the first of whom, Mr. Barling, by his will
proved in 1670, devised one annuity or yearly rent of
three pounds to be paid to the mayor and chamberlain of this city for ever, on September I, yearly; one
moiety to the six poor widows inhabiting this house,
and the other moiety towards the repair of the house
and premises, as the maycr and six widows judged fit,
the same to be paid out of his lands in Dering March
for ever, with power of distraint, &c. Another and
more efficient benefactor was Dr. John Aucher, one
of the prebendaries of the cathedral, who vested an
estate in trustees, for the payment of ten pounds each,
to fix clergymens' widows, with a preference to those
in Cogan's hospital. (fn. 2)
After which, Mrs. Elizabeth Lovejoy, by her will
in 1694, among other charitable legacies, gave out of
her personal estate, four pounds per annum, to be
paid to Cogan's hospital, to be equally shared and divided among such poor as should inhabit and reside
in, and receive the alms of the hospital, by equal halfyearly payments, without any deduction, on any pretence whatsoever. For this purpose, and to pay her
other charitable legacies, she devised to the mayor and
commonalty of the city of Canterbury, her leasehold
estate, called Callis grange, in Thanet, in trust, to
perform the purposes of her will. (fn. 3) In addition to
these gifts, the poor in Cogan's hospital are entitled to
receive from Mrs. Masters's legacy, who died in 1716,
yearly, the sixth-part of the interest due from one
hundred and sixty-three pounds sixteen shillings and
three pence, old South-sea annuities, being the sum
vested in the mayor and commonalty of this city, in
trust, for the several hospitals in Canterbury; of which
a full account will be given hereaster, among the several benefactions made to this city. Besides which,
the society established for the relief of the widows and
orphans of the clergy, within this diocese, usually add
ten guineas more yearly to each of these widows;
which, with what little matter they have of their own,
makes a comfortable retreat for them. But there being
no sufficient fund left for the repair of the house, it
became ruinous and would soon have been uninha
bitable, had not the benevolence of private persons,
by a handsome subscription, afforded a sufficient sum
to put it in compleat and substantial repair. (fn. 4)
THE BRIDEWELL, or Poor PriestsHOSPITAL,
situated not far from the south side of the High street,
in Lamb-lane, was antiently founded by Simon
Langton, the archbishop's brother, archdeacon of
Canterbury, about the year 1240, anno 24 Henry III. (fn. 5)
not, it seems, altogether of himself, but assisted with
the alms and charity of several devout and pious benefactors. Shortly after the hospital's foundation,
the abbot and convent of St. Augustine, at the instance of the founder above-mentioned, granted to it
the rectory or church of St. Mary, of Stodmarsh, of
their patronage, with the profits of four acres of land. (fn. 6)
To this there was afterwards added, in the year 1271,'
being the last of Henry III. another parsonage or rectory, viz. that of the church of St. Margaret, in Canterbury; being given to it in pure and perpetual
alms, by the same abbot and convent, patrons of it,
at the instance of Hugh Mortimer, then archdeacon
of Canterbury; (fn. 7) besides these, they had nothing else,
excepting the small island, behind their house, made
use of by them as a garden, and an old mill belonging
to and near it, called Medmilne, but long since
forgotten, which before had been, as well as the house
itself in which they dwelt, the property of one Lambin, a Fleming. (fn. 8)
This hospital appears to have been founded for a
place of succour and relief for poor priests, i. e. chap
lains, curates, and other like unbeneficed clerks;
chiefly those probably, who either by age or other infirmities, were disabled from the performance any
longer of their holy functions abroad in the world, and
were therefore here accommodated with a chapel, adjoining their habitation, in which they might perform
divine offices, and celebrate for their benefactors; it
was, as well as the hospital, dedicated to the blessed
Virgin Mary, the first fabric of which, was not, as
now, built of stone, one Thomas Wyke, syndic or
master of it, having first in 1373 new built it of such
materials.
This hospital escaped the general dissolution, and
remained unsuppressed in queen Mary's reign, in the
second year of which, anno 1554, Hugh Barret was
presented by the patron, Nicholas Harpsfield, archdeacon of Canterbury, to the mastership of this hospital, together with the rectory of St. Margaret's, in
this city, appropriated to it, and then vacant by the
death of Nicholas Langdon, the last incumbent there; (fn. 9)
in which state this hospital remained till the 17th year
of queen Elizabeth's reign, in which year it was surrendered up to the queen, by Blaze Winter, the master of it, Edmund Freake, bishop of Rochester, then
archdeacon of Canterbury the patron, and the arch
bishop, Matthew Parker the ordinary, together with
all its lands, revenues, tithes, advowsons of churches,
and all appurtenances belonging to it; (fn. 10) (which surrender was confirmed by the dean and chapter of
Canterbury, under their common seal, two days afterwards, and inrolled in chancery); upon which the
queen, upon the humble petition of the mayor and
commonalty of the city of Canterbury, the same having been surrendered up to her, upon that intent and
confidence, granted this hospital, with all its possessions and appurtenances, as above-mentioned, to them
and their successors, by letters patent, under her great
seal, dated July 5, in the above year, to hold, as of
her manor of East Greenwich, in free socage, by fealty
only, and not in capite, for the benefit and use of the
poor of this city for ever. (fn. 11) This grant appears to have
been obtained by John Rose, then mayor, and Richard Gaunt, then sheriff of this city, at whose suit
and solicitation, at the expence of fifty pounds, it was
procured; which sum was afterwards reimbursed to
them by a general tax on the community of the city. (fn. 12)
From the above time this hospital has belonged to
the city; it was for many years afterwards called the
Bridewell hospital, from its being made use of as the
bridewell, or house of correction of the city, and from
there being kept and maintained in it a number of
bridewell, or blue coat boys, poor townsmens' children; but in the year 1729, an act of parliament
having passed for the establishment of a general workhouse, for the better relief and employment of the
poor of this city, this house or hospital was allotted
for this purpose; since which, it has been usually
known by the name of the City Workhouse, being
likewise the city bridewell and house of correction, and
as such it is used at this time. The yearly tenths of
this hospital, amounting to 1l. Is. 4½d. are payable
to the archbishop.
MAYNARD'S HOSPITAL, or spital, is situated in a
small lane leading eastward out of Stour-street, being
corruptly so called, for the founder of it was one
Mayner, a citizen of Canterbury, dwelling in St. Mildred's parish, in king Henry II.'s days. (fn. 13) He was a
man, it seems, of noted wealth, and was, as such,
surnamed Mayner le Rich. (fn. 14)
It was, together with the small chapel belonging
to it, dedicated to the Virgin Mary; the endowment
or possessions of it are vested in the prior, brothers and
sisters, for the time being, in whose names all the
leases are granted. The mayor and commonalty appoint the master, who is generally the senior alderman,
the present master being alderman James Simmons.
The mayor and aldermen are the visitors. The former of whom have the appointment from time to
time of the brothers and sisters, who must be upwards
of fifty years of age, of good and honest conversation,
unmarried, and have resided for the preceding seven
years within the liberties of the city. (fn. 15)
William Benet, of Canterbury, by his will in 1464,
ordered that his executors should give the place that
Roger Goldfinch dwelt in, and the two shillings quitrent of his tenement, held by John White, to the
brethren and sustren of Maynard's spital, and their
successors for evermore.
By the survey taken by the commissioners in king
Henry VIII.'s time, upon the statute of the 37th year
of his reign, cap. 4, it appears, that the revenues of
it then consisted of small tenements, and strips of garden ground in this city, which were of the yearly value of 3l, 7s besides nine acres of wood, called Brotherhedd's wood, and a close of land adjoining to it,
called Brotherhedd's close, in the parish of Fordwich.
In the year 1600, the income of these estates were
yearly, 20l. 4s. This house and chapel were repaired
in 1617, by Joseph Colf, esq alderman of this city,
and master of this hospital. (fn. 16)
But the buildings of this hospital and chapel, having been blown down by the great storm, which happened on Nov. 3, 1703, were all rebuilt from the
foundation with brick, by the charitable contribution of the mayor, aldermen, and other worthy benefactors, in the year 1708, John Beaumont, esq. being
then mayor; the work being first principally promoted and carried on by the application of alderman
Oughton, chamberlain, and alderman Wilson, master
of this hospital; the contributions amounting to upwards of 300l. and the expences of erecting the buildings to 299l. and upwards, as appears by the chamberlain's accounts.
This hospital has a common seal, on which is the
representation of the Virgin Mary, with a child in
her arms,
COTTON'S HOSPITAL adjoins to that last mentioned, and indeed is the same as part of it, being three
several rooms or lodgings erected by Leonard Cotton,
gent. of St. Margaret's, alderman and mayor of this
city in 1580, who by his will in 1605, gave three
places in Maynard's spital, to one poor widower and
two poor widows, such as should be inhabiting in the
parish of St. Margaret, if there should be any dwelling there capable thereof. In default, to such poor
of St. Mildred's; in default of which, then to any
such as should dwell in the city and county of Canterbury, the persons to be of good, honest behaviour,
and of the age of fifty years at least, to be nominated
and placed here by the mayor of Canterbury; which
poor persons should receive to their own uses, from the
hands of the mayor for ever, all the profits and revenues of such lands and tenements as he bequeathed
for their maintenance and relief; for which purpose
he gave to certain trustees therein named, his tenement
with its appurtenances, in which strangers then dwelt,
in St. Margaret's parish, and on the north side of his
then dwelling-house, and another tenement in that parish; and another with an orchard and its appurtenances in Winchepe, in St. Mildred's parish, in this
city; and he willed that the above mententioned seossees,
the survivors of them, or their heirs, should, within
six months after his death, enfeoff the mayor and com
monalty of the said city, or such other persons as they
should think fit, most agreeable to the laws of the
realm in these premises, for the use, maintenance and
relief of the said three persons, to be placed in the said
rooms in the hospital, or spitall, called Maynard's
spitall as aforesaid, for ever. And he ordered, that if
the mayor or any other persons who should have any
interest in the premises, should at any time dispose of
or convert the same, or any part thereof, or the produce thereof, to any other benefit or purpose than as
aforesaid, or should at any time put in any other poor
persons than as above described, or in any shape should
abuse this gift, contrary to the meaning of his will,
that from thenceforth this his bequest concerning the
said poor should be void and determine; and that
such persons and their heirs which should be possessed
of the premises to the aforesaid uses, should from
thenceforth stand and be possessed thereof, to the use
of the prior and brethren and sisters of St. John's hospital, without Northagate, and their successors for ever,
for their relief and comfort. (fn. 17)
The estates given by the testator are leased out,
and produce a clear income of five pounds per quarter,
or twenty pounds per annum; which money is paid
to the three poor of Cotton's foundation, quarterly. (fn. 18)
Though there are here two hospitals, having separate endowments, yet being one connected building,
and under the same patronage of the mayor of this
city, for the time being, who with the aldermen are
visitors, and one of the latter always master of them,
it may be looked upon as one and the same hospital.
The modern benefactions to it are, the yearly portion it is entitled to receive from Mrs. Master's le
gacy, who died in 1716, being the sixth part of the
interest due yearly from 163l. 16s. 3d. old south sea
annuities; which sum is vested in the mayor and commonalty of this city, in trust, for this and the other
hospitals in Canterbury; of which a further account
may be seen hereafter, among the benefactions made
to this city
Mr. Matthew Browne, in 1717, gave by his will
ten shillings a year, issuing out of two houses in the
borough of Staplegate, to be paid yearly to the brothers and sisters of it on the 12th day of March for
ever; with power of distres, &c.
Thomas Hanson, esq. of Crosby-square, London,
by his will proved in 1770, gave 500l. to this hospital; which sum is now vested in three per cent.
bank annuities, and produces a dividend of 17l. 10s.
per annum; and there being no fund for repairs, Mr.
William Rigden, brewer, of Canterbury, in 1771, by
bargain and sale inrolled in chancery, vested in trustees a messuage and smith's forge, in Hawk's-lane, in
this city, to apply the rents to the reparations of Maynard's and Cotton's hospitals, the surplus to be divided among the brothers and sisters of Maynard's
seven houses, resident constantly there, in such manner as the trustees should think fit. The annual rents
of Maynard's hospital, including seven pounds paid
by the city, amounted in 1712 to 361. 12s. and so on
nearly the same to 1770; and that they were not
more, was owing to the abuses committed in the management of them; but this being looked into by
the mayor and commonalty, and a better regulation
of them taking place, they amounted in 1785 to
46l. 4s. and are now, in 1796, increased to 69l. 10s.
besides which the present master has received by fines
35l. which, with the annual six pounds left by Mr.
Rigden, has been expended in a compleat and thorough repair of the chapel and ten houses; and there
is no doubt, but if the mayor and commonalty con
tinue to patronize and protect the poor of these hospitals, with the same attention, their revenues will be
still further improved.
St. JAMES'S, otherwise ST. JACOB' HOSPITAL,
at the further end of Wincheap, is situated in the parish of Thanington; but being without the bounds
of the city, which run close along the wal's of it, the
reader will find an account of it in the description of
that parish, in the History of the County of Kent.
BOYS'S HOSPITAL, named by the founder Jesus
hospital, is situated in the suburbs of Northgate, at
the further end of the street leading to the Isle of
Thanet; it was founded and endowed by the will of
Sir John Boys, of St. Gregories, proved in the year
1612, whose monument yet remains on the north side
of the nave of the cathedral, for eight poor men and
four women, at the least, besides the warden or principal of the hospital, who has a house to himself, and
the rest of the members have each apartments; which
form the three inner sides of a square, a dwarf wall
and the gate forming the side next the road. The
warden and brothers are bound by the founder's statutes, to attend divine service in their habits, which
are long black cloth gowns, every Sunday morning,
at the cathedral. The number of brethren and sisters
are to be increased to a number not exceeding twenty;
of which, one third only are to be women, as the revenues of the hospital should allow. The poor in it
to be first such of the parish of Northgate as had lived
there seven years, not under fifty-five years of age,
and not worth ten pounds; then of St. Dunstan's;
then of St. Paul's, and in default of any such there,
then of St. Mildred's, or any other part of the city;
the warden to have yearly ten pounds, every brother
and sister four pounds, and the clavinger forty shillings more, and to have black gowns once in three or
four years. The warden or schoolmaster to teach
freely to read and write, and cast accounts, twenty
boys, above twelve years old, of the parishes of Northgate, St. Paul's, St. Mildred's, St. Alphage, Westgate, or St. Dunstan's, to be presented by the churchwardens and overseers; and in default, by the mayor
of Canterbury, to be taught for two years, and then
six of them to be put out apprentices, or to some mechancial art, and afterwards to be accounted out-brothers of the hospital, and to have certain cloathing,
and yearly payments out of the revenues of it. The
founder, in his book of ordinances of this hospital,
directed, that the warden shall be appointed by such
of the surname of the founder, who should be owners
of the seat of Betteshanger, and in default of such, by
those of the same name, who should be owners of the
seat of Fredville, both at that time in the possession
of this name and family; and in default of such, by
the dean of Canterbury, for the time being; if no
dean, by the mayor of the city; and if any of these
fail to nominate in the space of two months, then,
after proper notification, by the archdeacon of the
diocese. The above-mentioned two seats having for
a long time been in the possession of other names and
families, the deans of Canterbury have for many successions been masters here, and as such, on any vacancy of the brethren or sisters places, have nominated two persons, statutably qualified, to the mayor,
who chuses one of them, to supply the vacancy; but
of these, the poorest, most impotent, and most honest
and best behaved, is, by the founder's order, to have
the preference.
Mrs. Elizabeth Lovejoy, widow, by her will proved
1694, gave, out of her personal estate, five pounds a
year to Jesus hospital, to be paid and divided among
the poor of it, in like manner as her gift to Cogan's
hospital before mentioned; and this hospital receives
likewise from Mrs. Master's legacy, who died in
1716, yearly the sixth part of the interest due form
163l. 16s. 3d. old south-sea annuities, being the sum
vested in the mayor and commonalty of this city, in
trust, for the several hospitals in Canterbury; of
which, a full account may be found hereafter, among
the several charitable benefactions to this city.
The mayor, dean and archdeacon, or the greater
part of them, are appointed visitors, who are to audit
and examine the accounts of the hospital, on Dec. 12,
yearly, and receive ten shillings for their pains.
It appears by the account taken of the estates of it,
at the death of the founder in 1612, that the annual
rents were then 96l. 12s. in possession, and on his
wife's death, 38l. more, and two quarters of wheat.
The rents reserved on the present leases granted by
the hospital in 1777, were only 117l. 12s. per annum;
1l. 19s. towards their annual feast on St. John's day,
at Christmas; an annuity of five pounds out of Ash
marshes, and another of 6l. 13s. 4d. out of land in
Sholden, and the quitrents of the manor of Whitacre,
3l. 17s. nett per annum, making all together 133l.
2s. 4d. being the whole of the then annual income of
it, exclusive of the fines on leases. (fn. 19) But since this,
the revenues having still considerably further increased,
by the particular attention paid to the letting of the
estates belonging to the charity, as it appeared in 1787,
at the annual visitation of the mayor and dean of Canterbury, visitors, attended by several of the aldermen.
They then ordered, in consequence of this, agreeable
to the direction of the founder, that one more brother
should be added to the former number, and that six
more poor boys should be taught to read, write and
cast accounts, and that three of these boys should.
every year be put out apprentices, with a premium of
eight pounds, and that forty shillings should be laid
out in cloathing every such boy, at the time of his
being put out; and they increased the salaries of the
former brothers and sisters 10s. per quarter each.
Robert Grove, gent. of Hythe, by his will anno
1608, gave to Sir John Boys, twenty pounds for the
use of Jesus hospital, to be bestowed in land or such
like, for that use for ever. (fn. 20)
BRIDGER'S ALMSHOUSES are situated in the
suburbs between St. George's-gate and Riding gate,
on the road opposite the city ditch; they were built
in 1778 by the Rev. Mr. Byrch, executor, and in
pursuance of the will of Mrs. Sarah Bridger, of this
city, for six poor women; the nomination of whom
is vested in his heirs.
HARRIS'S ALMSHOUSES, so called from the founder of them, are situate on the left hand or eastern side
of Wincheap, and were built in the year 1726, for the
habitations of five poor families, by Thomas Harris,
hop-merchant, of Canterbury; who, in his will
proved June 8, that year, (fn. 21) mentions, that as to all his
five messuages and dwellings, with the gardens and
appurtenances in Wincheap, in St. Mildred's, which
he designed for almshouses, and in which he had
placed five old men and their wives, to live there during their lives, rent free; he gave and devised the same
to trustees, nine in number, viz. Isaac Terry, Stephen
Durant, and John Austen, gents of St. Martin's;
William Nethersole, gent. of St. Margaret's; Henry
Terry, mercer, of St. Mary Magdalen, and his grandsons Edward Charlton, Thomas, John and Richard
Barham, to them and their heirs for ever, upon trust,
as such old persons as were or should be placed therein
by him, during his life, should continue therein, during their lives, rent free, they respectively keeping the
dwellings and appurtenances, and the sences of the
gardens and backsides thereto belonging, in good repair; and in trust that as they or any of them should
die, the said trustees, or the survivors of them, or the
major part of them, or the heirs of such survivor,
should from time to time place in the same dwellings
as they should become respectively vacant, such other
poor persons as they or the major part of them should
think proper, there to remain and dwell for their lives,
rent free, and so from time to time for ever; and he
ordered that two of the said tenements or dwellings
should be from time to time filled up with two poor
persons of the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, and the
other two with two poor persons of the parish of St.
Mildred; each to be of the age of fifty years at the
least, and who did not receive alms of any of the said
parishes; and further, for the better support and maintenance of the said poor persons dwelling therein, he
gave and devised to the said trustees and their heirs
for ever, all his messuage or farm, called Marley, in
Kingston, then let at twenty-one pounds per annum,
and all that share of wood, containing about three
yards of land belonging to the said farm, for them to
dispose and pay the clear yearly rents and profits, all
charges being deducted therefrom, among the said
poor people dwelling in the same, to be divided
equally, share and share alike, among them, and so to
continue among them for ever; and when the said
trustees should be reduced to three, he ordered, that
they should convey the said messuages or almshouses,
farm, lands and tenements, unto a competent number
of new trustees, and their heirs, and so in like manner
from time to time, for ever.