Ripon's three medieval hospitals

North bridge

from 1350

Position of river crossing

hospital of
St Mary Magdalen
from 1130

hospital of St John the Baptist from 1119

hospital of St Anne (Maison de Dieu)
from C13th or C14th

from Town and City Historical Maps No.19

The hospital of St John the Baptist

is the earliest of the three hospitals (1119), built on land given by Thomas II, Archbishop of York (1109-1114) and

confirmed by his successor Thurstan (1114-1140). It was built just south of the river Skell in the township of Aismunderby and Bondgate, not in the township of Ripon. The hospital was on the route into Ripon from the south and would have provided accommodation for pilgrims visiting the tomb of St Wilfrid in Ripon church, as well local destitute people.

The hospital of St Mary Magdalen

was the second hospital to be built in Ripon (1130s). It was built on the route into Ripon from the north, on the first high ground after crossing the river Ure. The founder of the hospital was archbishop of York, Thurstan of Bayeux (1114-1140). He gave 68 acres of good land beside the river Ure on which the hospital was built, together with access to woodland. He also gave the land for the foundation of FountainsAbbey, a hospital in Otley, and he had an interest in the establishment of many of the northern monasteries.

The hospital of St Anne

has an unknown founder. It was built on a small plot of land just north of the river Skell (C13 or C14) at the point where the route from the east crossed the river. It was usually called the Maison de Dieu (House of God) which suggests the founder was a local Norman family, possibly the Nevilles from Raby Castle. Since the conquest the ruling class was Norman, using a language the locals didn't understand. So they mimicked what they heard and Maison de Dieu was called locally the Massingdew. This hospital had no church connection so records of it are few. The chancel arch, which still remains, is late C12th and the solidly built nave, demolished in 1868, may share that date. The ruins of the chancel architecture has been dated to the late C14th