Wyggestons Hospital

Wyggestons Hospital was established by William Wyggeston. Whilst the foundation for the early Wyggestons Hospital was formed in 1512, it wasn't until early 1513 that it became an established Hospital.

The original building was located in St Martin's Parish. It was here that the plans were made to aid as many as 24 people (12 men and 12 women) and thus between 1513 and 1518, new buildings were created the 24 poor people.

It was in 1572 that letter patents stated the Hospital would be known as "Wyggeston's Hospital" and the Charity which is still in high demand has been known as such from there on.

Wyggestons is home to both Sheltered Accommodation, where residents are encouraged to live independently whilst also engaging in activities that are put on for residents, and a Care Home in which there is 24 hour staff on hand to ensure the comfort of those in their care.

It is important to note that the term 'hospital' in this context is not as people in the modern age would know it. In the 1500's, a hospital was named such due to the care given by religious authorities such as Nuns and Monks. The use of the word in of itself stems from the old French term "hotel-dieu" which loosely translates to "Hostel of God".

Demolition of original building (1875)

Initially, when it was decided this building should be demolished to pave way for a newer, safer building, there was a lot of controversy surrounding the plan. Many believed that the building was of historic value and advocated to keep it intact, but unfortunately the concerns regarding the safety of the building ultimately won out, resulting in the demolition of the building in 1875 and paving the way for a new era of Wyggeston's Hospital.

In 1807, it was mentioned that the buildings were in a state of deterioration. By the time the buildings were demolished, there wasn't a lot left to salvage, as most things had been sold off. Examples of this would be that the furniture was sold in 1868 for a modest £18 and 10 shillings, in 1875 the Chapel roof Timbers, bell-turret and roof boarding sold for £32, seven large oak-panel doors with iron-studded exterior were sold for only 25 shillings!

Monuments of Wyggestons Hospital were kept, as were inscriptions, and they were successfully brought forward and moved into the new chapel of Wyggestons.

The new Wyggestons Hospital (1868)

Built upon a new site off Fosse Road South, Leicester, and adjacent to Hinckley Road, the new Wyggeston's Hospital was larger and better equipped for the increased demand for accommodation surrounding those less fortunate or more vulnerable.

The new site of the building provided Wyggeston's with more land on which to develop and as such meant that Wyggeston's Hospital would be able to aid more than they were in the previous centuries.

The new Victorian style building really shone with it's intricate details and well thought out plan. Only, this building would only stand for less than one hundred years due to a defect in the foundation that allowed for water to get into the electrical wiring, thus becoming a hazard and eventually having to be torn down to make way for the building that we know today, completed in 1967.

Though the gothic-Victorian style building was torn down, a fragment of the foundation can still be found at the grounds of St Martin's House in central Leicester City.

Wyggestons today

Rebuilt for the second time in 1967, Wyggestons Hospital was established as a place for sheltered accommodation before it added a Care Home into it's site in 1992, named Agnes House after William Wyggeston's second wife.

Today, Wyggestons houses many people who meet the criteria of the charity - something which can be found on the Charity Website. The buildings that make up Wyggestons Hospital are:

William House: built in 1967 and aptly named after William Wyggeston himself, which houses 54 flats over three floors, suitable for single living or couples living.

Lancaster House: built in 2022 and named so due to Wyggeston's long standing connection to the Duchy of Lancaster, which houses 8 large flats, suitable for single living and couples living.

Cottages: 6 cottages were erected on the site of Wyggeston's Hospital, located towards Westcotes Drive, in 2022 and are suitable for single or couples living.

Agnes House: built in 1992, Agnes House falls into a separate category from the buildings that make up the Almshouse. Agnes house, named after the second wife of William Wyggeston, is an onsite Care Home that provides around the clock care for the residents who reside there.

Connection to The Duchy of Lancaster

Wyggestons Hospital has a direct link to the Royal Family via The Duchy of Lancaster , and by association, King Charles III himself.

The Hospital was licenced by King Henry VIII and funded by Wyggeston's lordships, Manors and Land. Patents dating back to as early as 1572 denote that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster would be the one to appoint a new Master for a term of 5 years (renewable)

Merging with Trinity Hospital

On 31 March 2023, Wyggestons Hospital (est. 1513) joined forces with another established Charity: Trinity Hospital (est. 1331) to become Wyggestons and Trinity Almshouses [Charity Number: 216873]

Not only was this a historical event in the making, it also meant that two of the largest Almshouses in Leicester were joining together and thus became the largest Almshouse Charity in Leicester.

Whilst Trinity Hospital has been around since before Wyggeston's was established, it wasn't actually until after the fact that Trinity formally became "Trinity Hospital".

Masters of Wyggestons

Below is a list of the former Masters of Wyggestons

Sir William Fyssher	1513 – 1540
Sir Walter Browne	1540 – 1560
Sir Nicholas Harwar	1560 - 1567
Thomas Sampson	1567 – 1589
Nathanael Sampson	1589 – 1611
Sir John Harault	1611 – 1620
Sir Samuel Clarke	1620 – 1638
Sir William Chillingworth	1638 – 1643
Sir John Meredith	1643 – 1646
Sir Job Grey	1646 – 1650
Sir Richard Lee	1650 – 1661
Sir John Meredith (restored)	1661 – 1665
Rev. Richard Clarke	1665 - 1684
Rev John Pyke	1684 – 1691
Rev. Robert Hardwick	1691 – 1717
Rev. Samuel Clarke	1717 – 1729
Rev. John Jackson	1729 – 1763
Rev. William Rawstorn	1763 – 1790
Rev. Folliott Herbert Walker Cornewall	1790 – 1793
Rev. John Selwyn	1793 – 1823
Rev. William Vansittart	1823 – 1847
Rev. Edward Thomas Vaughan	1847 – 1860
Rev. David James Vaughan	1860 – 1905
Rev. Edward Atkins	1905 – 1927
Rev. Sydney Thorold Winckley	1927 – 1937
Rev. James Sidmouth Cooper	1937 – 1957
Rev. Canon Francis William Pratt	1957 - 1968
Rev. Canon Arthur John Fielder	1968 - 1978
Rev. Canon Kenneth Davies	1978 - 1982
Rev. Richard Cleland	1983 - 1997
Rev. Dr. Ronald Saunders	1997 - 2003
Rev. Paul Bromiley	2003 - 2014
Rev. Anthony Robert Leighton	2014 - present

Awards

[2022] Large Residential Scheme of the Year

[2023] Inspirational Homes Award

External links

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