t. JBargaref* lospital, SKimboriie Jftinster. 



By WALTER J. FLETCHER. 



Mead September 10th, 1895. 



,HIS Hospital, or Almshouse, is situated about a quarter 

 of a mile from the town of Wimborne in a north- 

 westerly direction, and has attached to it a chapel 

 dedicated to St. Margaret and St. Anthony. The 

 date of its foundation is unknown, but according to 

 the ancient deeds its establishment must have been 

 of great antiquity, for from one of these deeds, 

 attributed to the time of King John, it is evident 

 that this Hospital was then in existence and was set apart for the 

 relief of persons afflicted with leprosy. 



Hospitals for this purpose were, unfortunately, quite common 

 during the 10th and llth centuries, but as the disease was 

 gradually stamped out, these were generally appropriated to other 

 uses, as this one has been. 



Tradition says that the Hospital of St. Margaret was founded by 

 John of Gaunt, which is accounted for probably by the fact that 

 an ancient account book at one time in the possession of the 

 Charity, bearing date 10th January in the Hth year of Queen 



Elizabeth's reign (1572), stated that it was erected by 



sometime Duke of Acquitaine and Lancaster ; but as the 



