Monument record 46/3 - Medieval Hospital of St. James and St. John

Medieval hospital founded in the reign of Henry II and dissolved in the 16th century. Its precise location has not been identified, possible locations include Friar's Well in Aynho Park. Other possible locations in the vicinity include the fieldnames Pesthouse Wood, Gospel Well and Spitehel Field.

{1} Hospital dedicated to St. James and St. John stood at the west entrance to Aynho.

{2} It was founded by 1200 and dissolved in the 16th century. Served poor/ old/ sick/ travellers/ pilgrims. Annexed to Magdalen College, Oxford in 1485. It is also recorded as of SS. Mary and James.

{3} Possibly 'Friars Well' at SP51163306 gives some indication of its site but Pesthouse Wood (SP5233), Gospel Well (SP5333) and Spitehel Field (SP5333/5334) may also allude.

{4} Dwelling house by 1720

{5} Recently modernised

{6} Hospital site could be shown by field names: Friar’s Well (SP51163306); Pesthouse Wood (SP5233 ); Gospel Well (SP5333); Spichel Fields (SP53335334).

{7} Cartulary of Hospital found. A parchment roll of seven membranes. The front of the roll contains fifty-two charters and two papal bulls. All apart from the last four date from before c1270. The handwriting of the cartulary is late 13th-century, probably compiled c 1280, possibly as part of an inquisition into the hospital held in 1282.

{8} Hospital founded in the reign of Henry II, dedicated to St. James and St. John. Had an altar, and therefore a chapel.

{10} The hospital of St. James and John, built for the relief of the poor, the sick and infirm, was founded c. 1180 by Roger FitzRichard on the north-western edge of the village of Aynho. The presence of a hospital in Aynho was due to its location on a major road from London to Banbury. It comprised a courtyard to the west, a hall for wayfarers to sleep and refresh themselves, and a chapel for two or three brothers and a master.
In 1319 the lord of the manor granted to the hospital half a virgate of land, a mill called ‘Goldsbolte milne’ and a walled fishpond just beyond the hospital court. Further lands were acquired in 1331. In addition to this property, the hospital owned several cottages in the village and a small share in Croughton Meadow. Despite this, the Hospital was a small institution and was never particularly rich. In 1485 the hospital’s patron, the Earl of Arundel, granted the hospital and all its property to Magdalen College, Oxford, and the hospital itself was dissolved. The exact location of the medieval hospital within the area of land owned by Magdalen College is not certain, but is thought to lie in the area later occupied by College Farm. This is the principal area of hospital land shown on the College plan of 1763, apart from land further out in the fields and meadows. The College holding did also extend southwards along the roadside (a strip of land now bisected by the Deddington Road) and it is possible, though less likely, that the Hospital was located here.

{11} Evaluation was undertaken at College Farm, believed to be near the site of the hospital. The most notable feature of the site is the lack of finds and in particular the lack of any medieval material. Given that the development site was close to the medieval Hospital of St John and St James, this is perhaps a surprise. It strongly suggests that the farm buildings shown on the plan of 1696 were the first structures on the site, and were of post-medieval date with no medieval precursors.

{12} Possibly 'Friars Well' situated at SP 51163306 gives some indication as to the site but Pesthouse Wood (SP 5233), Gospel Well (SP 5333) and Spitehel Field (SP 5333/5334) may also allude. CRO Nothampton consulted but no further siting information
gained.

[HER note 11/09/2013: location unknown]

<1> Serjeantson R.M.; Ryland W. (Editors), 1906, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.150 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100369.

<2> Knowles; Hadcock, 1971, Medieval Religious Houses England and Wales, p.252 (unchecked) (Book). SNN10192.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP53SW16 (checked) (Index). SNN443.

<4> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.142 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<5> Baker G., 1822-36, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN10400.

<6> 1932, Fieldnames Overlays (general-needs sorting out into OS quarter sheets), (unchecked) (Map). SNN10076.

<7> Woolgar, C M, 1981, Two cartularies at Magdalen College, Oxford, 498-9 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN46080.

<8> Jarvis, E. (Ed.), 2010-12, Hindsight: The Journal of Northamptonshire Association of Local History, Issue 18 p.43 (checked) (Journal). SNN108377.

<9> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<10> OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL UNIT, 1999, Land at College Farm, Aynho, Northamptonshire: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment and Building Recording, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN43379.

<11> Scott, I., 1999, College Farm, Aynho, Northamptonshire, Archaeological Evaluation Report, (checked) (Report). SNN101731.

<12> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, F1 JB 10-FEB-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:10PM