A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



de Hameldun. This probably gives us the 

 origin of the hospital of St. Mary Magdalen.^ 

 There is, however, another document in exist- 

 ence, belonging to the early part of the four- 

 teenth century, which gives a somewhat different 

 account. The writer, who complains that the 

 deeds of Magdalen Hospital have been stolen by 

 John de Bulford, almoner of Durham, states that 

 the hospital was founded by a certain Sir John 

 le Fitz Alisaundre, who erected a chapel and 

 other buildings. Sir John, according to this 

 statement, established in his new foundation 

 a chaplain and thirteen good men and women 

 who had seen better days. For their support he 

 gave to the almonry of Durham the vill of Rilley 

 and the right to grind corn in Chilton Mill ; he 

 also gave lands near the hospital, and others 

 lying before the gate of Sherburn House. Un- 

 fortunately this document bears an endorsement 

 by the prior and convent to the effect that it 

 ' does not contain truth for the most part ; ' ' 

 but possibly this refers chiefly to the accusation 

 against John de Bulford. In any case the two 

 accounts of the foundation are not wholly in- 

 consistent if we take John le Fitz Alisaundre to be 

 the same person as John de Hameldun ;^and that 

 some at least of the statements in the ' com- 

 plaint' are correct is proved by a terrier of the 

 hospital lands taken before the dissolution, 

 which describes the property as consisting of 



twenty-four and a half acres lying near the hospit.il, 

 and sixty acres in one large close called M.iudelyn- 

 leas, before the gate of Sherburn Hospital.' 



In 1391 Bishop Skirlaw granted an indulgence 

 of forty days to all who contributed to the sup- 

 port of Magdalen Hospital in Gilesgate ; ^ and 

 a certain vicar of Billingham granted to the 

 hospital a rent of 3^. in Crossgate.' 



The original chapel was almost entirely re- 

 built in 1370.* It was considered as parochial 

 and rectorial.' In February, 1449-50, it had 

 again fallen into a ruinous condition, owing to 

 the dampness of its situation ; and leave was 

 sought and obtained from the bishop to remove 

 it to another site farther west.'" The work of 

 rebuilding was at once commenced, and in May, 

 1 45 I, licence was granted to the suffragan bishop 

 ' Holensis ' [.^ of Hola, in Iceland] to consecrate 

 the new church. ^^ Curiously enough, there is no 

 mention of any master of Magdalen Hospital,^^ 



' Mem. of St. Giles' (Surt. Soc), introd. pp. rxx- 

 xxxii. 



^ MS. Treas. Dur. Cart. Elemos. 6'% 4"'% No. 16. 



* Mem. ofS. Giles' (Surt. Soc), introd. pp. xxx-xxxii. 



'Printed by Surt. Hist. Dur. iv (2), 68. 



«MS. Treas. Dur. 2264, 6'% 4'"% Elemos. No. 15. 



' Ibid. 2273, 4", 2''% Elemos. 2 A. 



'Almoner's Account Rolls, 1370. 



'Surt. Hist. Dur. iv (2), 67. 



'° MS. Treas. Dur. 2265. " Ibid. 2266. 



'^ Possibly the almonsr of Durham fulfilled most of 

 the duties of that office. 



and the master of the Farmery School was- 

 bound to say mass twice a week in the chapel.'* 



The inmates consisted of brethren and sisters, 

 some of whom lived in and some out of the 

 house, the allowance being the same in either 

 case.'* In 1534 there were three brethren and 

 two sisters, each receiving 241. per annum. "^ 

 On the feast of St. Mary Magdalen the inmates 

 received an annual pittance.'^ 



When Durham priory was dissolved, and the 

 new cathedral established, the office of almoner 

 was not restored, but the revenues annexed to 

 it were granted to the dean and chapter, who- 

 leased out the hospital lands, giving a salary to 

 a clerk to officiate in the church of St. Mary 

 Magdalen. A few remains of the ancient infir- 

 mary of the house were discovered in 1822." 



24. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. STEPHEN, 

 PELAW 



Scarcely anything is known of St. Stephen's 

 Hospital at Pelaw, near Chester-le-Street. It 

 appears to have been in existence as early as 

 1260, in which year William Litell, priest, was 

 collated to the mastership.' In 13 13, when 

 ' Peter called le Ponte ' was appointed, the 

 master's duty was stated to be the celebrating, or 

 providing for the celebration of divine service, 

 and the performance of the other functions of 

 his office, as had been the custom up to that 

 time.'' 



In 1 38 1 John son of Robert de Pelaw sold 

 his manor of Pelaw, and the advowson of 

 St. Stephen's chapel in the said manor to Wil- 

 liam, Joan, and Thomas de Elmedon.^ It 

 seems, however, that the property subsequently 

 came into the hands of the bishop ; for in 1450 

 Bishop Neville confirmed to William, son («V) 

 and heir of William Elmedon, his (the bishop's) 

 manor of Pelaw, with the advowson of the 

 hospital or chapel of St. Stephen, at a rent of 

 135. ^d. In this charter there is a special clause, 

 'saving always to William Lambe, Chaplain, 

 Master of the Hospital, and his successors, all 

 lands, rights, and tenements of the hospital,' but 



"Mickleton MS. No. 32, p. no. 



" Surt. Hist. Dur. iv (2), 67-8. 



"Hunter's MSS. 



'* Ibid. Hunter states that some at least' of the 

 inmates were persons of the upper class, basing his 

 assertion on the fact that in 1532 one of the three 

 sisters then in the hospital was ' the mother of 

 Robert Benet,' and that in 1534 both mother and 

 son were among the inmates. This Robert Benet 

 he takes to be the future prebendary of Durham j 

 but this is a mistake, as that Robert Bennett was 

 bursar of Durham at the time ; see Dur. Household 

 Bk. (Surt. Soc). 



" Surt. Hist. Dur. iv (2), 67-8. 



' Ibid, ii, 188. 



' Reg. Palat. Dun. (Rolls S;r.), i, 476. 



' Rot. Hatfield, 7 Apr. anno 26. 



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