Hospital of St John the Baptist, High Wycombe
Encyclopedia
The Hospital of St John the Baptist was a hospital
in High Wycombe
in Buckinghamshire
, England
between 1180 and 1548. It was situated on the main road that ran from Oxford
to London
(what is now the A40
) east of the town centre.
s for the poor or infirm. Founded by the church
, the Hospital of St John the Baptist was run by a Master (normally a monk
or other religious figure) and a small community of brothers and sisters (other members of the church) who cared for the people who came to them for help. Three further beds at the hospital were also set aside for other poor or infirm people who were passing through on the road either to London or to Oxford.
The earliest known Master was Brother Gilbert who, in 1236, wrote to Pope Gregory IX
in Rome
asking for permission to establish a chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist
at the hospital. This permission was granted by Papal decree in 1239 and the chapel built shortly after. It is not known whether the hospital took on the name of St John the Baptist at this time, or whether it had already received that dedication.
The hospital continued to run until the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in the mid 16th century when all property belonging to the Catholic
church was seized by King Henry VIII
. Officially the property of the King
from that point in history, the hospital struggled to survive and eventually closed in 1548. The last recorded Master was Charles Chalfont, who ran the hospital from 1541 to 1548.
and burgesses of the town who wished to establish a school
. The school took in boys by subscription and trained them in academic studies such as reading, writing, arithmetic and the classics. Most if not all of the boys who attended the school would have then gone on to university
, probably at Oxford. In 1562 the school received a Royal charter
from Queen Elizabeth
. From that point on the school was (and still is) known as the Royal Grammar School
.
The school operated in the old hospital until 1883 when funds were found for a new building. This was constructed just to the north of the old hospital, and the ancient building was finally demolished. In 1915 the school was then moved from this location altogether to its current location on Amersham Hill.
. The south wall of the hall was taken down at this time, and the hall shortened from 16 metres to about 12 metres. At the time of demolition most of the remaining buildings were pulled down, but some parts of the building were left standing. This includes the north wall and five columns of the hall with four arch
es showing typical 12th century decoration and the north chapel wall with two half lattice
windows from the 13th–14th centuries. These ruins
still remain today.
At the end of the 19th century the ruins left from the original demolition were strengthened using brick
buttress
es; in the early 20th century the columns and both walls were given stronger foundations
of cement
.
In 1993 the ruins were declared an English national monument by English Heritage
. Today they are well looked after and are lit up at night making them a local landmark.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
between 1180 and 1548. It was situated on the main road that ran from Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(what is now the A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
) east of the town centre.
The Hospital
In the 12th century hospitals were used as almshouseAlmshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s for the poor or infirm. Founded by the church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, the Hospital of St John the Baptist was run by a Master (normally a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
or other religious figure) and a small community of brothers and sisters (other members of the church) who cared for the people who came to them for help. Three further beds at the hospital were also set aside for other poor or infirm people who were passing through on the road either to London or to Oxford.
The earliest known Master was Brother Gilbert who, in 1236, wrote to Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX
Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was pope from March 19, 1227 to August 22, 1241.The successor of Pope Honorius III , he fully inherited the traditions of Pope Gregory VII and of his uncle Pope Innocent III , and zealously continued their policy of Papal supremacy.-Early life:Ugolino was...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
asking for permission to establish a chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
at the hospital. This permission was granted by Papal decree in 1239 and the chapel built shortly after. It is not known whether the hospital took on the name of St John the Baptist at this time, or whether it had already received that dedication.
The hospital continued to run until the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in the mid 16th century when all property belonging to the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church was seized by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. Officially the property of the King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
from that point in history, the hospital struggled to survive and eventually closed in 1548. The last recorded Master was Charles Chalfont, who ran the hospital from 1541 to 1548.
The school
In 1550 the buildings of the hospital were acquired by the mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and burgesses of the town who wished to establish a school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
. The school took in boys by subscription and trained them in academic studies such as reading, writing, arithmetic and the classics. Most if not all of the boys who attended the school would have then gone on to university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
, probably at Oxford. In 1562 the school received a Royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
from Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. From that point on the school was (and still is) known as the Royal Grammar School
Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
See Royal Grammar School for the other schools with the name RGS.The Royal Grammar School High Wycombe is a selective grammar school situated in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. As a state school it does not charge fees for students to attend, but they must pass an entrance exam...
.
The school operated in the old hospital until 1883 when funds were found for a new building. This was constructed just to the north of the old hospital, and the ancient building was finally demolished. In 1915 the school was then moved from this location altogether to its current location on Amersham Hill.
National Monument
Part of the original hospital building was pulled down in 1767 to make way for the widening of the main road so that it could be established as a turnpikeTurnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
. The south wall of the hall was taken down at this time, and the hall shortened from 16 metres to about 12 metres. At the time of demolition most of the remaining buildings were pulled down, but some parts of the building were left standing. This includes the north wall and five columns of the hall with four arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es showing typical 12th century decoration and the north chapel wall with two half lattice
Latticework
Latticework is a framework consisting of a criss-crossed pattern of strips of building material, typically wood or metal. The design is created by crossing the strips to form a network...
windows from the 13th–14th centuries. These ruins
Ruins
Ruins are the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete, as time went by, have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction...
still remain today.
At the end of the 19th century the ruins left from the original demolition were strengthened using brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es; in the early 20th century the columns and both walls were given stronger foundations
Foundation (architecture)
A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...
of cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
.
In 1993 the ruins were declared an English national monument by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
. Today they are well looked after and are lit up at night making them a local landmark.