A History of the County of Essex: Volume 2. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1907.
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'Hospitals: Brook Street, South Weald', in A History of the County of Essex: Volume 2, (London, 1907) pp. 192. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol2/p192 [accessed 20 April 2024]
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42. THE HOSPITAL OF BROOK STREET IN SOUTH WEALD
The date of this hospital, which generally appears under the names of Sideburbrok, Sedeburghbrok, Southbournebroke, etc., is not known; but it was probably founded by the lords of the manor of South Ockendon, to which the advowson was appurtenant. We first hear of it in 1233 and 1234, when the brethren received grants of protection (fn. 1) from the king. There were at first lepers there, but these seem to have come to an end as in many other cases, and at later times the hospital is spoken of as a free chapel. It was dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
Very little is known of its history. In early parts of the reign of Edward III the master obtained exemption from payments of tenths and fifteenths on account of the poverty of the hospital, which was founded for lepers and sick persons. (fn. 2) In 1304 a commission (fn. 3) of oyer and terminer was appointed by the king on complaint by the master that certain persons had broken into his house and carried away his goods. In 1372 a dispute with the rector of South Ockendon about tithes in the manor was decided by the bishop (fn. 4) in favour of the latter.
The free chapel of Brokstreet was valued in the Valor at £10 yearly. After the dissolution it was sold (fn. 5) on 20 April, 1553, to Sir Anthony Browne and Richard Weston with the messuage called 'le Spytle' in Brook Street, eighty acres of land and meadow and three acres of wood in South Weald, all other lands belonging to it in Brook Street and South Weald and 36s. 3d. rent.
Masters of Brook Street
Thomas, (fn. 6) occurs 1254.
Ralph, (fn. 7) occurs 1302.
Edmund de Crek, (fn. 8) occurs 1304.
Richard de Burton, (fn. 9) presented 1326.
Henry de Rosse, (fn. 10) presented 1333.
John Stanwygg, (fn. 11) presented 1334.
Gilbert de Welton, (fn. 12) presented 1336.
John de Schropham, (fn. 13) presented 1368.
William Bolton, (fn. 14) occurs 1406.
Stephen Gernon, (fn. 15) resigned 1452.
William Merton, (fn. 15) presented 1452.
John Burgh, died 1461. (fn. 16)
John Johnson, presented 1461, (fn. 16) died 1474. (fn. 17)
Thomas Coweton, presented 1474, (fn. 17) died 1491. (fn. 18)
William Warham, collated 1491, (fn. 18) resigned 1496. (fn. 19)
John Wodhouse, collated 1497. (fn. 19)
Richard Burgeys, collated 1503. (fn. 20)