Hospitals: St Leonard, Banbury

32. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. LEONARD, BANBURY

At Banbury there was a hospital of St. Leonard for lepers, standing at the east end of Banbury bridge, and therefore in that part of the parish which is within the county of Northampton. In the reign of Edward I land was given to the 'master and leprous brothers of St. Leonard, Banbury'; (fn. 1) while in 1319 Bishop Dalderby granted an indulgence of twenty days to those who should contribute towards 'the maintenance of the poor lepers of the house of St. Leonard, near the bridge of Banbury.' (fn. 2) In June, 1333, the king granted protection for two years for the leprous men of the hospital of St. Leonard without Banbury, collecting alms for their house. (fn. 3) Three years later a carucate of land was given to the hospital by Sir John de Lyons, and the same donor in 1376 granted further possessions to 'Robert, chaplain of the hospital of St. Leonard, near Banbury.' (fn. 4) The last record we have is that in 1398 the king granted to 'Geoffrey Stokes, clerk, the custody of the hospital of St. Leonard, near Banbury, in the country of Northampton.' (fn. 5) There is no mention of it in the Taxation of 1526 or in the Valor of 1535.