A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



26. HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN BAP- 

 TIST, STONY STRATFORD 



This hospital was built upon the bridge of 

 Stony Stratford, and was intended for the 

 poor. It was in existence in 1306, and prob- 

 ably some time before, as it seems to have 

 been rebuilt in 1310. It contained a master 

 and brethren, who received grants of indul- 

 gence for those who should contribute to the 

 fabric of the hospital in 1306,! 1310,2 and 

 1313. 3 It was still in existence in 1353,* but 

 probably not much later, for already in 1329 

 the master and brethren were without the 

 means of living unless others would come to 

 their aid. 6 



27. HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN BAP- 



TIST, WENDOVER 



An indulgence was granted to the hospital 

 of St. John Baptist at Wendover, and to the 

 brethren of the same, in 131 1. 8 Nothing 

 further is known of the history of the house. 



28. HOSPITAL OF ST. MARGARET, 

 HIGH WYCOMBE 



The hospital of St. Margaret is mentioned 

 first in 1229, when a yearly fair was granted to 

 the master and leprous brethren on the vigil 

 of the feast of St. Margaret. 7 Richard, mas- 

 ter of ' the hospital for the sick ' at Wycombe, 

 jointly with the master of the hospital of 

 Crowmersh, sued Walter Champion for tithes 

 in 1268 8 ; and the same two masters claimed 

 a tenth sheaf in the fields of Wigan de Walling- 

 ford in Oving, after the church tithes had 

 been collected. 9 These suits may refer either 

 to the hospital of St. Margaret or to that of 

 St. Giles, the hospital of St. John being appar- 

 ently for the poor. 



An indulgence was granted in 1368 to the 

 hospital of ' St. Gilbert and St. Margaret next 

 Wycombe ' by Bishop Bokyngham. 10 



29. HOSPITAL OF ST. GILES, 

 HIGH WYCOMBE 



The hospital of St. Giles, High Wycombe, 

 was founded for the reception of lepers before 

 1229, when letters of protection were issued 



1 Line. Epis. Reg. Memo. Dalderby, gid. 

 Ibid. i63d. Ibid. 256. 



Pat. 26 Edw. III. pt. ii. m. 18. It is here 

 merely mentioned in a writ, 

 s Pat. 3 Edw. III. pt. i., m. 4. 

 6 Line. Epis. Reg. Memo. Dalderby, gid. 

 ' Cal. of Chart. R. i. 96. 

 8 Feet of F. 52 Hen. III. No. 10. 

 Ibid. 54 Hen. III. No. 3. 

 Line. Epis. Reg. Memo. Bokyngham, $7. 



to these. 11 In 1389 John Skefthyngwas ap- 

 pointed warden, 13 but shortly after this date 

 it was dissolved. It was granted early in the 

 reign of Henry V. to a certain Thomas Giles, 

 and its endowments were finally bestowed 

 upon the college of Windsor. 13 



30. HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN BAP- 

 TIST, HIGH WYCOMBE 



This hospital was certainly in existence 

 early in the thirteenth century, if not in the 

 twelfth. In an inquisition taken in 1245, it 

 was found that the brethren and sisters of 

 this house were bound to distribute annually 

 on Lady Day to the poor who should ask alms 

 at their gate bread to the amount of two 

 quarters of wheat, and also to pray for the 

 soul of Adam Walder, who may have been the 

 founder. 14 A fragment of a charter exists 

 which must have been made out between 

 1235 and 1241. 15 In 1236 the master of the 

 hospital gained the day in a suit with Richard 

 of Rouen concerning a carucate of land in 

 High Wycombe. 16 In 1239 the brethren re- 

 ceived a grant of a yearly fair on the vigil of 

 the Translation of St.Thomas of Canterbury. 17 



In 1548 the commissioners found that there 

 was a master in possession of the hospital, but 

 no brethren. The original purpose of the foun- 

 dation was quite forgotten, and the charter 

 had been burnt. It was still however a part 

 of the master's duty to find three beds for 

 poor and infirm persons coming through the 

 town. 18 



After the Suppression of Chantries the 

 house was sold to the mayor and burgesses, 

 and converted into a grammar school. 19 



In 1302 and 1346 the master of St. John's 

 Hospital held one-fifth of a knight's fee in 

 Wycombe. 20 Its clear value at the suppres- 

 sion was 8 ios. n 



MASTERS OF THE HOSPITAL 



Gilbert, 23 occurs 1236 

 Robert, 23 occurs 1265 



11 Pat. 13 Hen. HI. m. II. 



12 Pat. 13 Rich. II. pt. ii. m. 28. 



13 Parker, History of Wycombe, 138. 



14 Ibid. 140. 



15 Ibid. It has the names of Bishops Grosstete 

 and Gregory IX. 



18 Feet of F. 20 Hen. III. n. 23. 

 Cal. of Chart. R. i. 244. 



s Chant. Cert. 4, No. 4. 



19 Parker, History of Wycombe, 142. 

 a Feud. Aids i. 92, 117. 



Chant. Cert. 4, No. 4. 



Feet of F. 20 Hen. III. n. 23. 



Parker, History of Wycombe, 



394 



