Hospitals: Buckland by Dover

A History of the County of Kent: Volume 2. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1926.

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'Hospitals: Buckland by Dover', in A History of the County of Kent: Volume 2, (London, 1926) pp. 208-209. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/kent/vol2/pp208-209 [accessed 18 March 2024]

In this section

41. THE HOSPITAL OF BUCKLAND BY DOVER

Almost all the knowledge which we possess of this hospital is derived from the register, (fn. 1) unusually interesting and complete for so small a house, which was compiled in 1373 by Robert de Welle and John Hwytefeld, monks of Dover, (fn. 2) at the special instance of Thomas de Cant', sub-prior, warden of the hospital. It is there stated that in 1141 brothers Osbern and Godwyn, monks of Dover, from the goods of their parents by authority of Archbishop Theobald, and with the consent of the prior and convent of Dover, constructed the hospital of poor people of St. Bartholomew by Dover, appointing the prior of Dover disposer and ordainer of it internally and externally, and the prior and convent granted to the poor people all the ' teghe' before the hospital; and that Prior Hugh, 'not being able to attend to its business, appointed his sub-prior as their warden, reserving important business to himself, and this has been observed ' to this day.'

Regulations for the brothers and sisters were laid down in great detail. Each candidate must be examined by the warden, must be of free condition, either unmarried, or with the consent of the husband or wife remaining in secular life, and must pay 100s. for admission, or more, according to arrangement, 6s. 8d. to the warden for his fee, and 3d. or a jentaculum to each brother and sister. He (or she) will be brought by the master to the door of the church, and will then take an oath before the warden, one of the articles of this being that at death he will leave half his goods to the hospital. The number of brothers and sisters was twenty in olden times, but ' now ' sixteen at most is sufficient, and of these the master, who should be a leper, is appointed by the warden, and takes an oath that he will administer the property faithfully, and render an account when required. The allowances made to the brothers and sisters are specified. No brother may go outside the house except with the leave of the master, and no sister except with the leave of the prioress; they are to frequent no taverns; to say 200 paternosters and aves by day, and the same number in the middle of the night; none are to sleep outside the house for more than three nights without leave from the warden; they are to have a round tonsure, and wear a black or russet dress; the leprous are not to live with the hale; and though they may have private property, they may riot indulge in usury. They are to have two proctors, one for Dover and the neighbourhood, the other for England in general. A priest is to be maintained at the cost of the house, to celebrate daily for the founders and to minister in the church; he is to hear the confessions of the brothers and sisters, and without the leave of the warden they may not have another confessor. Each brother and sister is to labour in the offices of the house rather than elsewhere, and at half the pay, except in autumn, when they may take four pence, two for dinner, and two for stipend.

Pope Adrian IV in 1158 confirmed to Godewyn, rector of the house, all its possessions, including 100s. of land given by Gilbert de Gant. Pope Clement urged the faithful to be liberal to it, and Archbishop Theobald promised indulgence to benefactors, as also did Richard, bishop of Chichester, in 1252. Edward III in 1369 granted protection for the master, brethren, and sisters, begging alms. (fn. 3) An early grant by Henry de Arcell' was made for a house to receive poor and infirm coming from ships. The lepers are mentioned down to about the end of the thirteenth century, but in 1346 the hospital is said to be a place where the poor are maintained for life and the sick are nursed until they are well, and leprosy is not spoken of. (fn. 4)

In the Chantry Certificates the gross value of the possessions of the hospital, lying in Dover, Buckland, Ewell, Leeds, Bobbing and Deal, is given as £10 7s. 6d., and the net value as £8 3s;. 6d. yearly,;after deductions of £2 to the manor of River, and 4s;. to the priory. (fn. 5) After the Dissolution the hospital was granted to Sir Thomas Palmer in 6 Edward VI.

Master; Of Buckland

Henry, occurs 1267 (fn. 6)
John de Macstone, occurs 1295 (fn. 7)
Arnold ate Regge, occurs 1309, (fn. 8) 1312 (fn. 9)
John, occurs 1323 (fn. 10)
William Ricceghe, occurs 1327 (fn. 11)
Peter Norreis (fn. 12) or Norman, occurs 1351, (fn. 13) 1357 (fn. 14)
Thomas de Lymene, occurs 1381 (fn. 15)

Footnotes

  • 1. a Bodleian, Rawlinson MS. B. 335.
  • 2. These same two monks compiled the register of the priory of Dover in the preceding year.
  • 3. Pat. 43 Edw. III, pt. 2, m. 37.
  • 4. Register, fol. 97.
  • 5. Chant. Cert. 29, No. 112.
  • 6. Register, fol. 36.
  • 7. Ibid. 25.
  • 8. Ibid. 9.
  • 9. Ibid. 14.
  • 10. Ibid. 47.
  • 11. Ibid. 20.
  • 12. Ibid. 12.
  • 13. Ibid. 17.
  • 14. Ibid. 40.
  • 15. Ibid. 85. Thomas occurs as magister sive custos in 1386 (ibid. 86).