Sherburn Hospital, gateway

Bishop Hugh le Puiset founded Sherburn Hospital in 1181, originally as a leprosy hospital. When it opened it housed 65 lepers. By the 15th century records show only two inhabitants suffered from the disease. Others accommodated here suffered from a variety of chronic maladies. It is doubtful whether they received any successful medical treatments for their conditions. However, the hospital certainly provided a home, food and care for these individuals who, due to the added infliction of grinding poverty, would certainly have succumbed much quicker to death in the outside world.