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THE COMMANDERY - Origins
and Early History
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OriginsTradition has it that the building was founded as a hospital around 1085 by Saint Wulfstan, then Bishop of Worcester. However the hospital was built around a much earlier Saxon chapel dedicated to Saint Gudwal - located to the North of the present building. |
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| Although
all traces of this chapel have gone from the area it must have been
a considerable structure, today all that remains are the base pillars
of three nave columns, placed on the lawn outside, and some medieval
glass re-used in the Great Hall windows. The building attributed to Saint Wulfstan was a monastic institution designed to act as a hospital. It seems to have been established with the needs of travellers in mind. Its location, just outside the city walls beside the Sidbury gate, put it at the junction of the main roads from London, Bath and Bristol. Here it could provide travellers with aid should they arrive after the closing of the gates at night. A chapter on the Origins and Early History of the Commandery by Dr Richard Holt and Dr Nigel Baker provides a detailed review and discussion of the evidence, while the sections below provide a more general account.
Saint Gudwal and Saint WulfstanThe medieval Hospital had close links with two Saints. Saint Gudwal was the patron saint of the original chapel, he was a 6th century hermit in Brittany, where he had founded a monastery. He was popular in Worcester despite only a very small following elsewhere in England. Saint Wulfstan was born in 1008 and became a Benedictine monk at the Priory of Worcester Cathedral. A fellow monk, named Coleman, wrote of him that he was, "of middle height ... always in good health ... neither lavish not niggardly in his choice of clothes and his general standard of living." By 1050 he had been made Prior and in 1062 added the role of Bishop of Worcester. Wulfstan founded several new churches and re-built the Cathedral, although only the crypt of this building now survives. During this period Bishops were politically influential, this allowed Wulstan to assist in the abolition of the slave trade between Bristol and Viking Ireland. In the Norman invasion of 1066 Wulstan backed William the Conqueror and so kept his high office. Wulstan was a noted religious man, known in particular for his preaching. This reputation led to miracles being reported at his tomb soon after his death aged 87, in 1203 these led to his being declared a Saint.
Thomas of Eldersfield
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of pageThe first written reference to the Hospital comes from the "Miracles of St Wulfstan" published around 1240. The story concerns Thomas of Eldersfield who in 1217 became involved in a drunken quarrel with George, the husband of a woman whose affections Thomas had rejected. Thomas appears to have won the following fight prompting George to claim Thomas had attacked him whilst breaking into his home. This crime could only be tried by the Royal Justices who ordered the men to fight a duel to decide the matter. The duel went badly for Thomas, his weapons and clothes were taken from him, next he was sentenced to be blinded and mutilated by George and his friends. Thomas was then carried to St Wulfstan's Hospital, where having been refused entry, he was hidden by Isabel, a lay sister. Whilst hidden away Thomas had a vision of the Virgin Mary and St Wulfstan after which he found his wounds healed and his sight restored. The story soon reached the Bishop of Rochester who visited and proclaimed Thomas’ recovery a miracle. Certainly the first part of the story appears to be true as the legal case also appears in the records of the Royal Justices’ court dated 1221.
The Hospital of Saint Wulfstan
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of pageFalling under the patronage of the Bishop the Hospital followed the order of St Augustine with rules of chastity, poverty and obedience. Daily business and finances were the responsibility of the Master, often a learned man and high ranking official in the Bishop’s household. He was given the best rooms, including this room, the Solar, to live in. Under him were two chaplains whose roles were to officiate at services and offer prayers for benefactors. The Chaplains were each given 4 marks a year, their own room and 3.5 yards of cloth for gowns. They ate and drank with the Master and when he was absent were allowed 10d a week for food. Most of the work of the Hospital was performed by lay brethren who received 7d a week, in 1440 there were five men and two women, one of the women being responsible for washing and mending. These were poor people, who as well as caring for the inhabitants, were expected to join in with services and prayers. The Hospital was funded in many ways, its wealth growing with its importance. At its foundation it had been given lands at Claines, Crowle, Bromsgrove and Timberdine. Other gifts over the years included, in 1256, six oak trees for building work from Henry III. Many people gave money to the Hospital with precise directions on how it should be spent. In return they expected the chaplains to pray for their souls. At this time people believed that these prayers would improve your chances of reaching heaven. In 1294 the Hospital received a substantial sum from William de Molendinis for just this purpose. At some time during the monastic period the Hospital of Saint Wulfstan acquired the name The Commandery. We do not know why but it seems to be linked to the 13th century title of Commander given, as a mark of respect, to men who had served in the Crusades. Walter, master of the Hospital until 1290, evidently served in Edward I campaign to the Holy Land. After his death it seems his successors kept his military title and perhaps this eventually led to the change in name.
Monastic Hospitals
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of pageOriginally designed for prayer and contemplation, monastic institutions changed in the medieval period in order to follow Christ’s message to help others. The founding of hospitals, places offering care for the sick and infirm and shelter for the traveller became especially popular. Hospitals were certainly needed as healthcare in the medieval period was very poor. People reaching the age of forty were considered lucky as half of all children failed to live beyond twelve. In towns, where living conditions were often dirty and crowded, disease spread quickly through germs carried by lice and fleas in people’s hair and clothing. Doctors were expensive and beyond the reach of the poor. Even for the rich, treatment was uncertain, relying mainly on herbal remedies and blood letting. Surgery, often by the local barber, was particularly dangerous, with no anaesthetics patients often died from shock, blood loss or infected wounds. The Hospital of Saint Wulfstan therefore would have seen a steady flow of people requiring aid. However as medical aid was limited, the Hospital also contained a room where patients could pray to the Saints for a cure. The Painted Chamber can still be seen today in the Western wing.
DissolutionIn 1533 Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic church and declared himself head of a new church in England. At this time there were around 850 monasteries in England and Wales, housing 9000 religious brethren. Many of these were wealthy institutions whose loyalty Henry considered doubtful. Eager to gather their wealth for himself charges of immoral behaviour, in the main false, were laid against the monasteries. This allowed Henry and his minister Thomas Cromwell to begin the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Between 1536 and 1540 each monastery was visited and given the chance to close voluntarily, giving all their assets to the crown. Failure to do so could result in imprisonment and even execution of the brethren. Once the monastery had been closed the brethren themselves were generally left poor and homeless. In 1539 Richard Morsyne, a Gentlemen of the Royal Privy Chamber, was appointed as the new Master of the Commandery. His role was not religious but was to wind up the affairs of the Hospital. Following dissolution monasteries were either sold to the king’s favourites, who might convert them into fine houses, or were stripped of their riches and left to become ruins. In June 1540 Morsyne was granted the Commandery for £14, 3 shillings, 5.5 pence. After just five years he sold it on to Thomas Wylde for £498. |
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