St Bartholomew's Hospital is the site of a medieval monastery hospital at the bottom of Christmas Steps, in

Lewin's Mead Lewin's Mead is an area of Bristol, England, part of the city ward of Cabot, Bristol, Cabot, in the historic centre of the city, lying just outside the former medieval town walls. Several old buildings survive, including the Lewin's Mead Unitari ...

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

, England. It has been designated as a grade II*

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

. The building incorporates an arcade of arches from a 12th-century town house. The round piers predate the hospital, and may come from an aisled hall, the earliest remains of domestic architecture in the city, which was then adapted to form the hospital chapel. It was incorporated into a monastery hospital, similar to an

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) is charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the Middle Ages. They were often built for the poor of a locality, for those who had held ce ...

, founded in 1240 by Sir John la Warr, 2nd Baron De La Warr (c. 1277–1347) who gave land in

Horfield Horfield is a suburb of the city of Bristol, in southwest England. It lies on Bristol's northern edge, its border with Filton marking part of the boundary between Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Bishopston lies directly to the south. Monk ...

for the upkeep of the hospital. In 1291 he made a bequest of one hundred

marks Marks may refer to: Business * Mark's, a Canadian retail chain * Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain * Collective trade marks A collective trademark, collective trade mark, or collective mark is a trademark owned by an organization (such ...

for the monks to chart in his memory and that of his relatives. The hospital served the poor of the city and travellers including seamen from

Bristol Harbour Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of . It is the former natural tidal river River Avon, Bristol, Avon through the city but was made into its current form in 1809 when the tide was preven ...

. Separate male and female dormitories existed by the early 14th century but males were evicted by Eleanor the Prioress in 1330. The decision were reverted by the

Bishop of Worcester The Bishop of Worcester is the Ordinary (officer), head of the Church of England Anglican Diocese of Worcester, Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title can be traced back to the foundation of the diocese in the ...

is 1386. The Fraternity of St. Clement was established at the hospital in 1445, funded by a levy on ships in the harbour, with a specific responsibility for 12 sailors. John Bautre was Masters of the Hospital of St Bartholomew in 1403. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was bought by Robert Thorne and became

Bristol Grammar School Bristol Grammar School (BGS) is a 4–18 Mixed-sex education, mixed, Private schools in the United Kingdom, private day school in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1532 by Royal Charter for the teaching of 'good manners and literature', endowe ...

from 1532 to 1767, with the current front of the building being constructed in the 17th century. It has a jettied first floor. It was used as

Queen Elizabeth's Hospital Queen Elizabeth's Hospital (also known as QEH) is a 7–18 private boys' day school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1586. QEH is named after its original patron, Queen Elizabeth I. Known traditionally as "The City School", Queen Eliz ...

from 1767 to 1847. Three 17th-century town houses were then incorporated into model workers' flats around a courtyard in 1865, and converted to offices in 1978. In the 1970s an archaeological excavation and search of documentary evidence of the site was carried out. 30 skeletons were uncovered which showed a range of fractures and infections indicating the sorts of conditions the hospital is likely to have treated.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Bartholomews Hospital, Bristol Buildings and structures completed in the 12th century Grade II* listed buildings in Bristol Bristol Grammar School

See also

References