XXX11. SECOND SUMMER MEETING. 



THE LEPER CHAPEL OF ST. MARGARET AND ST. ANTHONY. 



A move was accordingly made for * St. Margaret's, the old 

 Leper Chapel, dating back to the time of King John, and now 

 used as a chapel for the inmates of the adjoining alms-houses, 

 where a paper, of which the following is a brief resume, was 



read by CANON FLETCHER on the history of chapel. 



Leprosy is known to have existed in England in the 10th century, that is 

 to say, more than a hundred years before the First Crusade. It was 

 probably introduced by pilgrims returning from the Holy Land, or by 

 traders or other travellers from the East. Its spread was due to insanitary 

 conditions and to an excessive use of salted food. Leper Houses were 

 religious establishments, designed for the care, rather than for the cure, of 

 the afflicted for the benefit of the soul rather than for the relief of the body. 

 In Dorset there were Leper Houses at Wimborne, at Athlington near Bricl- 

 port, and presumably at Dorchester. The Wimborne Hospital was dedicated 

 to St. Margaret of Antioch and to St. Anthony. It was in existence in the 

 time of King John; and, according to entries in various Patent Rolls, was 

 for 'brothers and sisters,' lepers, who were permitted to beg for alms, and 

 to whom protection was granted. Subsequently various gifts of land 

 were bestowed upon them ; and, eventually, Redcoddes Chantry at the 

 Minster appears to have been assigned to them doubtless in order that 

 they might have a priest of their own. After leprosy had died out of the 

 country, St. Margaret's continued to be a home for the poor and infirm, 

 although it was shown in 1548-9 that the endowments were insufficient 

 for their maintenance without help from the inhabitants of Wimborne. 

 In later years, according to the Churchwardens' Accounts, a portion of the 

 moneys levied on the Churchwardens by the County Treasurer, towards the 

 expenses of the County Gaol, were granted for the use of the Charity of St. 

 Margaret. In 1685 it benefited considerably under the will of Rev. W. 

 Stone.t The Chapel measures 38ft. by 13ft. The side walls of native 

 brown heath stone, the lancet windows, and the circular ribs of the roof 

 appear to belong to the 13th century; and the wall paintings (excepting 

 those at the east end) are of a very early date. In the later part of the 

 17th century prayers were read by one of the inmates. But. for many 

 years the Chapel was used as a tool-shed by the alms people. It was 

 re-opened for divine service in 1885. 



Tea followed in the Vicarage Garden, where the members 

 of the party were the guests of Canon and Mrs. Fletcher. 

 After tea there was a short business meeting, at which three 

 new members were elected and five candidates were nominated. 



*D.F.C. Proceedings, Vol. XVII, p. 109. 



t D.F.C Proceedings, Vol. XXXVI, pp. 24-26. 



