The History of St Cross

Nestled in the water meadows alongside the River Itchen, only 20 minutes walk from the centre of Winchester lies the unique Hospital of St Cross.

The term ‘hospital’ in this context, has the same origin as ‘hospitality’ and for over 850years St Cross has provided food and shelter to people in need.

Henry de Blois, grandson of William the conqueror was appointed Bishop of Winchester in 1129 at the age of 28.  Between 1132 &1136 he founded the Hospital of St Cross (sancta crux) in order to support thirteen poor men, so frail that they were unable to work and go feed one hundred men at the gates each day.  The thirteen men became the Brothers of St Cross.  Then, as now they were not monks.  St Cross is not a monastery but a secular foundation.

In 1445, Cardinal Henry Beaufort founded a second charitable foundation.  The ‘Order of Nobel Poverty’ and added to the St Cross buildings.  He is widely regarded as giving St Cross the look it has today.

The Brothers who lived here today are the successors of the original poor men of 1136.  Historically, the Hospital comprises two separate charitable foundations, which have since been merged.  The brothers from the ‘Henry du Blois Foundation’ wear black robes and silver badges and in the shape of the Cross of Jerusalem.  Those from the ‘Order of Noble Poverty’ wear the claret robes and silver cardinal’s badges.  St Cross now has homes for twenty five brothers in total each of whom is allocated his own self-contained flat.

St Cross Hospital is England’s oldest continuing almshouse, comprising a group of grade I listed medieval and Tudor buildings, including a medieval hall and tower, Norman church, Tudor cloisters and gardens. The fine Traditional Norman Church is all that remains of the original Hospital.  Building began in 1135 at the east end with the north porch added nearly 200 years later.  The walls are over one metre thick and built from stone brought from as far afield Caen (in Normandy), Dorset and Isle of Wight, as well as some flint taken from local chalk pits.

External picture gallery

Other external websites have some interesting photographs of the Hospital and Parish.  It might be worth taking a look.

LIFE
Engraving by William Byrne from drawing by Thomas Hearne picture taken in 1807

Sir Benjamin Stone, outside the porters hatchway 1907

British Library  - There are several images of the hospital to view

Winchester Musem has several photographs taken around 1870-80 taken by photgrapher William Savage

• Brethren’s Hall at St Cross Hospital
  
• Brothers outside the Hospital of St Cross
• Inside the Chapel of St Cross
• A brother outside the porters lodge
• Another photograph inside the chapel of st Cross
• St Cross from the Quadrangle

Further Reading

British History online

Winchester Museum (Picture of the Chapel of St Cross c1865)

The times online - March 2005

Further Research

If you you find yourself at a loose end and wish to research the Hospital in greater detail, more information can be found below.
Hampshire Records Office (Winchester)

Including a pamphlet called ‘A Scheme for the Interim Management of the Hospital, St. Cross, Winchester’ (1857)
(i) Master and brethren of St. Cross Hospital, Winchester
(ii) The Charity Commissioners

English Heritage National Monuments Record (Swindon)

1 6×4 Halftone (General/ordinary paper)
4.25 x 6 Ins