Coningsby Hospital

It is currently thought that this was a site created in the time of Richard I, putting in the late 12th century. Not much is known about this building but it was owned by the Knights Hospitallers. The Knights Hospitallers were a Catholic military order. Apparently, there are no records of any expenses for this place suggesting that this building was not commonly used, however other theories suggest it was a place of rest for travellers.

It is believed that there was at least a Chapel building here, and possibly a Hospital building but no evidence has appeared so far as it could be buried under 17th century alms-houses. Without contemporary sources there can only be speculation unless funding is found to excavate around the area.

In 1343, 1 acre of Hospitallers land in Hereford was exchanged for 6 acres of land in Wellington, North Herefordshire as it was good for crop growing. These 6 acres belonged to the Dominican Black Friars, who owned the Black Friars Priory a few meters behind the Hospitallers building. It seems as if the Dominicans and Hospitallers were amicable with each other.

Owing to the shortage of records, not much else is known about the building before the Reformation of the Monastries. The Dominican Black Friars was officially dissolved on the 25th August 1538 but it isn’t known if this Hospitallers building was dissolved around that date as there aren’t any records that prove or disprove this.

The deed to the Hospital (1616)

By 1592 the Black Friars Priory had become a Town House for Sir Thomas and Phillipa Coningsby. Sir Thomas Coningsby was the High Sheriff of Herefordshire, and whilst he owned Hampton Court Castle in Herefordshire, he needed a place closer to Hereford, and Black Friars became that place possibly bought or inherited from the Scudamore Family.

The plan of Coningsby Hospital (1614)

It is said whilst he was staying within the converted Black Friars he decided that he should help the old sailors, soldiers, and servants, as he himself had fought in France for Queen Elizabeth I and had been knighted for his efforts. His method of helping was to build 12 alms-houses alongside the Hospitallers Chapel building. The plan above shows current layout largely unchanged since 1614. The building work was finished by 1617 and was done fairly cheaply as all the stone he hadn’t reused when converting the Priory into a town house was made into the alms-houses.

The layout of the Old Hospitallers Chapel building was internally altered to include a Chapel, a Communal Dining area, a pantry, and a buttery which was located downstairs. The upper space was an infirmary which had a window looking down at the Chapel. This window was so that those too ill to mix with others could still witness religious services thus meeting any spiritual needs. There was also a gatehouse – now converted into private accommodation – attached to these alms-houses and would have been of an earlier date and made from stone from Black Friars. To ensure the alms-houses had enough funds it was arranged that Hampton Court Castle would pay 200 pounds each year to the Corporal.

There were 12 alms-houses, but only 10 would have been for what became known as the Coningsby Servitors. One house was reserved for the Chaplain and one was reserved for the Corporal who was always meant to be a Coningsby Male, and was meant to care for the men and give them food, clothing, beer, or cider. However, after Sir Thomas Coningsby died his son Fitzwilliam Coningsby was made the Corporal, but it is unlikely he resided here. He had a very poor habit of not giving the annual 200 pounds to the Coningsby Hospital for the Servitors. The Chaplain would originally have been an Oxford educated man and lived in the alms-house nearest to the Chapel.

The Hampton Court propery passed through Fitzwilliam and further Coningsby males until it was sold to the Arkwright Family. This happened as the Coningsby Family did not want a female to inherit the property and they had run out of male heirs. The Coningsby Hospital was still linked to the Hampton Court and it was decided who ever owned Hampton Court would own Coningsby Hospital as well. The Arkwright’s decided to “renovate” the alms-houses. As typical of the Victorians they did occasionally go a bit overboard in some places but thankfully largely left the building alone.

A window bearing the TPC inscription (1617)

A fireplace lintel bearing the TPC inscription (1617)

They removed a few doorway and window lintels which would have been carved with TPC either standing for Thomas Phillip Coningsby or Thomas and Phillipa Coningsby. Luckily, there are still 26 references doted around The Coningsby Hospital to Sir Thomas Coningsby and – possibly – his wife Phillipa.

In the 1960s the Hospital it was decided should be opened to the public as a museum about the Knights Hospitallers. Not much is known about the organisation which leads into more of an explanation about the history of the Hospital. Despite this there are a lot of the exhibition pieces about the Knights Hospitallers.

The 14th Century skeleton found in the 1980s

In the 1980s, the Alms-houses were adapted to 20th century living. They also discovered that under the floor was a 14th century skeleton! The person is around 50 years of age, had osteoarthritis, and wide hips. The gender is unknown, but they were buried in a wooden coffin within the Chapel. It can be assumed that this was a person of high importance as they had the privilege of being buried within consecrated grounds.

A 20th century depiction of the Knights Hospitallers

These stained glass windows shown above are latest addition to the Hospital. They are a colourful 20th century depiction of the Knights Hospitallers.

If you do want to read anything more than here is a short list:

1. Hylson-Smith, K., and Johnson A., 2016. Faith and Religion. In Johnson and Shoesmith, 2016. The Story of Hereford. Almeley: Logaston Press

2. Prescott, E., 1992. The English Medieval Hospital. Melksham: The Cromwell Press Limited.

3. Shoesmith, and Pikes, 2016.The early Castle, the City Walls and Gates. In Johnson and Shoesmith, 2016. The Story of Hereford. Almeley: Logaston Press

4. Shoesmith, R., 2016. The Civil War. In Johnson and Shoesmith, 2016. The Story of Hereford. Almeley: Logaston Press

5. Tapper, A. 2005. Knights Templar and Hospitaller in Herefordshire. Almeley: Logaston Press