The Hospital of St John, Heytesbury
History
The Hospital of St John, Heytesbury was founded in 1472 by Margaret, Lady Hunderford, as an Almshouse for ‘eleven poor men and a woman to look after them’. St John’s is still situated on its original 2-acre site at the east end of Heytesbury village. The oldest parts of the Hospital date from the rebuilding carried out in 1766 after the Great Fire of Heytesbury. The later red brick buildings were opened in the 1970’s.
The eleven poor men have over time become around 40 men and women, married, single or widowed. Originally the men came from the Parishes of Heytesbury, Tytherington and Knook, and although today some residents come from further afield, priority is given to local applicants.
St John’s is a registered charity, and in 2018 our “Scheme” or governing document was amended to reflect the way in which we now operate in the 21st century. You can view the 2018 Scheme on this website here or on the Charity Commission website along with our Annual Reports to that overseeing organisation by using our Charity No of 200669.
The Almshouse Ethos
St John’s is not a hospital in the medical sense, but in the medieval meaning of the word as a ‘hostel’ providing homes for those in need through age, limited income or other causes. Applicants for entry must be in sufficiently good enough health to look after themselves and live independently.
The Hospital of St John has a Chapel, a Residents' Hall with kitchen for communal use, a laundry room, and a double guest flat for residents' visitors.
St John’s differs in some respects from the sheltered housing provided by local authorities. Of most note, residents are ‘beneficiaries of the Charity’ residing under a licence to occupy. Residents do not have tenants’ rights of occupancy. They are required to comply with St John’s rules, which are primarily designed for the benefit of the community and their safety. Exceptionally, the trustees can set aside a resident’s licence to occupy if they persistently fail to observe the rules or cannot continue to live at St John’s safely.
St John’s charity is overseen by volunteer trustees who delegate the day-to-day running to a part-time Administrator assisted by a small staff.