ST. MARGARET'S HOSPITAL. in 



From the book of accounts which has been before alluded to, 

 and which begins about the year 1567, it appears that for a long 

 series of years up to 1683 the government of this Hospital was 

 under the direction and management of two of the most substantial 

 inhabitants in the parish, who were annually appointed, and called 

 " Guardians " or " Wardens " of St. Margaret's Hospital, together 

 with those who had before held the office, the Constable of the 

 Town, and the Steward of the Manor of Kingston Lacey. Many of 

 the accounts are signed by the Steward for the time being, but 

 since 1683 this method of electing the Guardians or Wardens has 

 been given up, and the management of the Charity has been 

 entirely undertaken by the Steward of the Manor of Kingston 

 Lacey, the Lord of the Manor having the nomination and appoint- 

 ment of the inmates. 



The following extracts are taken from the report of the 

 Commissioners appointed in the early part of the century to 

 enquire into the Charities, etc., of the county : 



" The origin of this Hospital has been attributed to a Duke of 

 Acquitane and Lancaster, but, as it would appear, without sufficient 

 grounds. All that is known with certainty is that it was in 

 existence during, if not before, the 14th century." 



"No early deeds belonging to it are extant, and the principal 

 information has been derived from an ancient book of minutes and 

 accounts, commencing in the year 1661, produced by the Steward 

 of the Manor of Kingston Lacey, and from some memoranda 

 dated in 1746 in the handwriting of John Eankes, Esqre., one of 

 the former proprietors of the Manor (with whom the entire control 

 of the Hospital has long rested)." "Purporting to be extracted 

 from the book above alluded to and from an earlier book 

 commencing in the 9th year of Queen Elizabeth (1567) we found 

 a copy of an entry on the Court Rolls of the Manor of Kingston 

 Lacey dated 10th March, 22nd Richard II. (1398) (inserted in the 

 book to show the connection between the Manor Court and the 

 Hospital), which records that one William Sharpe, having been 

 by the Steward of the Manor admitted to the Hospital and after 



