Record Details
| NHER Number: | 5890 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Site St Mary Magdalen's leper hospital |
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Summary
This is the approximate site of St Mary Magdalen's leper hospital, later used for aged and sick people. It was founded in 1232 by converting an existing church at NHER 6354 into a leper hospital. The foundation was moved to this site before 1272, and it survived until 1550 when it was dissolved. Documents show that the hospital was located opposite the 'Magdalen Cross where the Shropham Hundred court was sometime kept'. The Cross no longer stands at this site, with Kilverstone Hall being a suggested location for its base.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TL 876 835 |
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| Map Sheet: | TL88SE |
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| Parish: | THETFORD, BRECKLAND, NORFOLK |
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Full description
Approximate site of St Mary Magdalen leper hospital, later for aged and sick.
Founded in 1232 by converting an existing church at NHER 6354 into a leper hospital, the foundation was moved to this site before 1272 because the townspeople objected to its proximity. (Note not NHER 14175 as wrongly stated on earlier card) (neither was it the same as St John's leper hospital, NHER 5755, as wrongly stated also).
Dissolved 1550.
(S1) shows the location by some lime kilns at the corner of Kilnstone Lane, stating that it was 'opposite the Magdalen Cross where the Shropham Hundred court was sometime kept' - a description appropriated by (S2). (S3) suggests this was the cross whose base is now at Kilverstone Hall, but this is based upon his locating its original site at the junction of the Kilverstone and Norwich roads - an identification not supported by (S1).
E. Rose (NAU), 24 March 1986.
A. Davison states that documentary evidence shows without doubt that hospital stood at this location, not at TL 874 835 as before marked, on site of present Autumn Close.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 April 1986.
Confusion with St John's Hospital mentioned above is due to the existence of a separate Hospital of St John the Baptist, founded in the 12th century, which may have been at NHER 6354 but which may also be what is usually called St Lawrence's (NHER 5910).
Information from A. Davison.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 April 1986.
Monument Types
- CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- LEPER HOSPITAL (13th Century to 16th Century - 1272 AD? to 1550 AD)
- LIME KILN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Associated Finds - none
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TL 88 SE 15; TL 88 SE 64; TL 88 SE 91. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Late Saxon. |
| --- | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Medieval. Thetford. |
| <S1> | Documentary Source: Martin, T. c. 1700-1799. Collections of Church Notes. Norfolk Records Office. 1772. |
| <S2> | Serial: Blomefield, F.. 1805. An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk.. Vol II. |
| <S3> | Article in Serial: Cozens-Hardy B. 1934. Norfolk Crosses. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXV Pt II pp 297-336. p 335. |
Related records
| 6354 | Related to: Site of St Mary Magdalen's Church and leper hospital (Monument) |
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