The history of the Bethel Hospital at Norwich : built by Mrs. Mary Chapman in the year 1713 / commenced by Sir Frederic Bateman and completed by Walter Rye.

  • Frederick Bateman
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The history of the Bethel Hospital at Norwich : built by Mrs. Mary Chapman in the year 1713 / commenced by Sir Frederic Bateman and completed by Walter Rye. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    Its ruins were laid bare the other day when some work was being done to the High School, and it was shown* that the actual walls of the college were still standing unsuspected as the supports of the Girl's High School, formerly Assembly rooms. The High School, Noverre's Rooms, and the Theatre, all stand and stood on its site, and behind and beyond it were its cherry garden and open fields, now the space still known as Chapel Field.f Opposite this great college or Chapel in the Fields, and on the other side of the way, was a great house, which, in the reign of Henry VI., is said by Blomefield (IV., p. 235), to have been occupied by Lady Morley. She was the Lady Isabel Morley, daughter of Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, and widow of Thomas, Lord Morley, baron of Rye of Hingham. Her will is dated 3rd May, 1464, at her place within the City of Norwich. Her body was to be taken to the Chapel in the Fields where a mass was to be said over it, and thence to Hingham. She gave 40s. to the repair of St. Peter Mancroft, and 6s. 8d. to the high altar there, and 13s. 4d. to Jesus' mass there, also 6s. 8d. to the high altar at Buxton,]: and 13s. 4d. to the Guild of St. Andrew, there whereof she was a sister. Another of the family, the Lady Elizabeth Morley, wile to Henry Lovell, Lord Morley and baron of Rye of Hingham, probably also lived here, for her will dated 10th December, * See paper by Mr. Hawes in Norfolk and Norwich Archjelogical Society, vol. 15, p. 293. tThe Chapel Field certainly belonged to the city shortly after the dissolution. It seems that the whole of the site and property of the Chapel in the Field was granted at the dissolution to it's last dean—Dean Miles Spencer, and that it passed to the Hobarts, who long lived in Chapel Field House, opposite to the Committee House ; but the city must have acquired the open space soon after, probably from Spencer. In 1670 enquiry was directed to be made whether it would prejudice the city if posts were put up in it to prevent carts driving over it. The general musters were held here in 1669, 1674, and 1676. On the last occasion the city tent was directed to be put up and the Chamberlain was to provide wine as heretofore. It was long used as an informal playground, for in 1677 boys having got into the habit of stripping themselves and running about on it, the marshals were told to catch them, &c. X The site of the moated house or castle of the Morleys is nearly opposite Lammas Church.
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