Notices of St. Leonard's Hospital. By G. Skelly. 529 



and in the Grin field at Gynfen meadow, both in the township of Denwick — 

 the tithes aforesaid formerly belonged the Monastery of Alnwick — also a 

 burgage and garth, and half an acre of land in the Hather leases at Wark- 

 worth, and in lieu of these the}" undertook to accept a part of the late 

 Common fields of Corbridge. called East field, and containing 46a. 

 2r. 24p." * 



The present highway, from the Lion Bridge to the Monument 

 on the top of the hill, is probably not older than the seventeenth 

 century. The old road would lie a little further to the east of 

 the Hospital, and this appears the more certain, inasmuch as a 

 large portion of the fences have been got from the ruin. It is 

 also probable that the whole of the North Demesne and adjacent 

 lands were at that time open and unenclosed, hence we find in 

 Radcliffe's Upper Close, several blue stones still standing, which 

 have evidently served as landmarks. 



A short time ago near one of the trees that stood on the east 

 side of the road and opposite to the site of the Hospital, was 

 discovered a very fine stone Mortar. It is very similar in design 

 to one in the Museum of Alnwick Castle ; but only of an earlier 

 character. This interesting remain is eight inches high, and in 

 diameter it measures fifteen inches. In design the vessel is 

 round, relieved by a plain ornament that is made to branch off 

 from the neck, and by this means divides the basin into four 

 distinct sections. 



A considerable amount of interest is attached to this ancient 

 relic, inasmuch as the greater portion of our Norman remains in 

 the north of England has either been lost or destroyed. 



With the history of this Hospital is associated the building of 

 Alnwick Abbey, and the church of Eustace Fitz-John. When 

 the site was discovered in 1845, there were found amongst the 

 debris, one or more vessels that would most probably have done 

 duty in the chapel. One called a holy water vaset would in all 

 likelihood be the piscina or stoup. 



It is pleasing to note that as soon as Earl Percy was apprized 

 of the discovery of the present relic, that he lost no time in 

 advising the Duke of Northumberland to have it removed to his 

 Museum at the Castle, where it now is. The drawing which 

 accompanies this paper was executed by Mr John Brown of 

 Alnwick Castle. 



*C. S. Bell's MSS. 



t Tate's Hist. Alnwick, vol. it., p. 42. 



