The title of the talk derives from
Pontefract being known during the Middle Ages as the Kingdom of Alms as
by the end of the 18th century no fewer than ten almshouses had been founded in
the town - a mark both of its importance during the middle ages, and the wealth
of its inhabitants.
Most of Pontefract's hospitals were
founded by wealthy benefactors, after whom they were generally named. They
usually received (or later acquired) additional endowments of land, property
&/or investments in order to maintain their inmates.
The oldest of Pontefract's Almshouses,
or Hospitals as they were originally called, was St Nicholas’ which existed
before the Conquest and was reputedly founded by an
abbot of St Oswald's Priory as an almshouse for 11 poor people and 2 servants although it may be even older
having possibly been founded in 625 AD by Ethelburga, wife of King Edwin and
who reputedly gave her Northumbrian name of Tada to Tanshelf, as Pontefract was
called in Saxon times.
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