The 15th century chapel was part of St Michael's Hospital, a medieval leprosy hospital.
‘Leper chapels’ were chapels built at ‘leper hospitals’. These hospitals were isolated communities or hospitals for the treatment of people affected by leprosy, and were often run by religious houses. At least 320 religious ‘leper hospitals’ were established in England between the 11th century and 1350. ‘Leper chapels’ allowed people affected by leprosy to take part in religious services without risk of infecting other people.
Many of the hospital buildings were destroyed during the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1530s; others fell into disuse or were put to new uses. Modern treatments developed in the 20th century reduced the need to isolate people affected by leprosy.
Sources: Historic England, ‘The Time of Leprosy: 11th Century to 14th Century’, Historic England website, accessed 07/01/2025.
Wikipedia, ‘Leper colony’, Wikipedia website, accessed 07/01/2025.
World Health Organization, ‘Leprosy (Hansen disease)’, World Health Organization website, accessed 07/01/2025.
This is part of the Job: 2K/32383 Master's House, 4-6 St Michael's Place, Saltisford, Warwick, Warwickshire; within the Volume: VF000004 Heritage at Risk; within the Series: EHC01/176 Heritage at Risk; within the Collection: EHC01 English Heritage(EH):Archive
© Historic England Archive
Photographer: Davies, James O
Timber Framed House, Leper Hospital, Chapel
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