Masters of St Giles' Hospital

By J W Fawcett

The Hospital of St Giles, Hexham, was founded sometime between 1114 and 1201, by an Archbishop of York in conjunction with a Prior of Hexham, both of whose names, however, have not been preserved. It was established for four persons, who were to be natives of the liberty of Hexham or Hexhamshire, and were infirm or lepers, and in need, They were to be under a master, and paying guests were also to be admitted. On 16th February, 1201, King John when at Hexham granted the inmates of the hospital freedom from all manner of tolls in the Counties of Durham and Northumberland.

MASTERS:

  1. WALLER DE SCRAPETOFT, collated 20th August, 1274.
  2. ROBERT DE PORTER, collated 11th June, 1313.
  3. ROBERT DE WHELPINGTON, collated 26th April, 1318, resigned July, 1328, was a Canon of Hexham 1308–1312/13; appointed Prior of Hexham 12th January, 1312; resigned 12th September, 1328; Master of St Giles' Hospital, 1318–28. Vide The Priors of Hexham, No. 13, in Hexham Parish Magazine, 10, No. 7, July, 1903.
  4. ROBERT DE FERGHAN, of Corbridge, chaplain, collated 22nd July, 1328, was reappointed 14th July, 1334, and again 2nd February, 1344.
  5. ROGER DE CLONE, collated 5th May, 1354, resigned July, 1354, was domestic chaplain to John DE Thoresby, Archbishop of York (1353–74).
  6. Mr. WILLIAM DE FENTON, collated 20th July, 1354.
  7. JOHN DE REDSHAWE, collated 6th August, 1359, resigned 1378, was son of William DE Redshawe, senior.

[From 1378 to 1398 the Hospital was joined to Hexham Priory on account of its poverty.]

  1. JOHN MARTYN, collated 18th July, 1398 was domestic chaplain to Richard Scoope, Archbishop of York (1398–1407).
  2. THOMAS PARKER, collated 1???, resigned June, 1409, was prebendary of St Sepulchre's, York, 1409–14??.
  3. NICHOLAS TYDD, clerk, collated 28th June, 1409, resigned July, 1409, was prebendary of St Sepulchre's, York, 1???–1409.
  4. Mr. JOHN STORTHWAYT, collated 24th July, 1409. Hospital surrendered to King's Commissioners, 26th February, 1536. The last Master at St Giles' Hospital at the dissolution in 1536, its annual value was only 13s. 4d.