Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 17 August 2022 to correct the name and reformat the text to current standards

SJ4166 1932-1/6/200

CHESTER CITY (EM) THE MOUNT (north side) Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles

(Formerly listed as Cemetery wall of former Leper Hospital of St Giles)

GV II Retaining wall of cemetery. Early C12, periodically repaired. Coursed red sandstone rubble. Oval in plan. 36 x 24m, approximately 1.6m high. The side to Christleton Road is almost straight. The wall is battered. A stone tablet mounted above the south side of wall to Christleton Road is inscribed "SAINT GILES CEMETERY: HERE STOOD THE LEPER HOSPITAL AND CHAPEL OF SAINT GILES FOUNDED EARLY IN THE TWELFTH CENTURY AND ENDOWED BY SUCCESSIVE NORMAN EARLS OF CHESTER. THEY REMAINED IN CONSTANT USE UNTIL 1645 WHEN DEFENSIVE MEASURES NECESSITATED THE DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS. THE CEMETERY REMAINED TO MARK THE SITE AND IN TIME THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF SPITAL CLUSTERED AROUND IT. IN 1644 UNTIL THE ROYALIST DEFENDERS SURRENDERED HERE IT WAS ALSO USED FOR VICTIMS OF THE PLAGUES WHICH RAVAGED THE CITY IN THE 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES. BEING EXTRA PAROCHIAL THE SITE WAS GRANTED TO THE CORPORATION BY CHARLES II IN 1685 AS A BURIAL GROUND AND, THOUGH FOR A PERIOD IN THE CHARGE OF ST.JOHN'S PARISH, IT REMAINS IN THEIR HANDS. WHEN THE PROTESTANT MARTYR WAS BURNED AT THE STAKE ON GALLOWS HILL CLOSE BY HIS ASHES WERE COLLECTED BY HIS FRIENDS AND BURIED HERE. THE LAST BURIAL TOOK PLACE IN 1854".

The rear of the tablet is inscribed "I H S : MANY UNKNOWN ARE BURIED HERE NOTABLY THE LEPERS FROM THE 12TH CENTURY TO 1643, SOLDIERS WHO FELL IN THE BATTLE OF GREAT BOUGHTON 1644 AND NUMEROUS VICTIMS OF THE PLAGUE".

The cemetery wall encloses a cemetery containing a number of damaged table tombs, mostly C19 in date, none of which are included in this item.

Listing NGR: SJ4189966410