Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles
Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles, The Mount
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1375952
- Date first listed:
- 23-Jul-1998
- List Entry Name:
- Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles
- Statutory Address:
- Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles, The Mount
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1375952
- Date first listed:
- 23-Jul-1998
- List Entry Name:
- Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles
- Statutory Address 1:
- Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles, The Mount
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Cemetery wall of former Leprosy Hospital of St Giles, The Mount
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ 41899 66410
Details
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
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 469931
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 27-Jun-2026 at 02:32:37.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.