Monument record MDO482 - The Hospital of St Mary Magdalen, Allington, Bridport

The lazar or leper hospital of St Mary Magdalen was established in Allington some time before 1232. It appears to owe its original endowment to the de Lega or de Legh family. In 1549-50, Edward VI granted the hospital and its lands to Sir Michael Stanhope and John Bellow, and in the same year they came into the possession of Giles Kelway. Until the second half of the 20th century, under the name of the Magdalen Charity, the hospital still existed as an almshouse for eight poor women.

A lazar house or hospital for lepers dedicated to the honour of St. Mary Magdalen, was established in Allington, some time before 1232, when Henry III granted letters of protection without limit to the lepers of St. Mary Magdalen of Bridport. The hospital appears to owe its original endowment to the de Lega or de Legh family. In a pre-1265 document, William de Legh the son of Philip de Legh granted to the house of St. Mary Magdalen of Allington called 'The Hospital of the Lepers of Mary Magdalen of Bridport' fifty acres of arable land in 'Alingtone' <1>.

A later grant of John Holtby in 31 Henry VI (1452-3) was of the nature of a re-foundation, the terms of which were carefully planned with a view to safeguard the interests of the parochial chapel of St. Swithun (1).

In 1535, the Valor Ecclesiasticus lists the hospital as the priory of Blessed Mary Magdalen of Bridport, and states that it was worth £6, and that the prior was Henry Danyell. The last incumbent was Robert Blakewell. In 1549-50 Edward VI granted the hospital and its lands to Sir Michael Stanhope and John Bellow, and in the same year they came into the possession of Giles Kelway. Until the second half of the 20th century, under the name of the Magdalen Charity, the hospital still existed as an almshouse for eight poor women. <6>

At ALLINGTON - ST MARY MAGDALEN'S HOSPITAL for lepers founded before 1232 and dissolved 1491-2. Refounded 1491-2 as an almshouse for resident brothers, sisters, and/or poor people. Dissolved 1547 and later refounded. Net income 1535 over #7. <7>

Suppressed 1553. <1>

A Leper Hospital, income under #50 which existed until AD 1500. <4>

The siting, contained in T.I. falls in a garden between the present MAGDALEN Almshouses to the west - which according to a plaque were constructed in 1877 - and a house to the east of considerable age but bearing no precise dateable fetures No positive remains of the early establishment were observed but a boundary wall to the immediate north shows signs of considerable age. Building operations are about to commence on the site to extend the almshouses & some foundations of the former establishment may be encountered. <5>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 206 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Map 1:500, 1887 (Map). SWX1328.

[SY 45929304] ST MARY MAGDALEN'S HOSPITAL [AT] (Site of)

<3> Page, W (Ed), 1908, The Victoria History of the County of Dorset 2, 98-100 (Monograph). SWX1805.

<3> Fry, E A, 1909, Dorset Chantries; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club (Article in serial). SWX1335.

<4> Hadcock, R N, 1950, Ordnance Survey Monastic Britain (South sheet) (Map). SWX3637.

<5> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 21-SEP-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<6> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 98-100 (Monograph). SDO148.

<7> Knowles, D and Neville Hadcock, R, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales, 251 (Monograph). SDO11249.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 450121 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 19 2022 8:00PM