A recent sinkhole that formed outside the York Theatre Royal led to the discovery of what archaeologists believe are the remains of one of the largest medieval hospitals in northern England, identified as St Leonard's Hospital, according to Medievalists.net. The unexpected find was made during emergency repairs to the sinkhole on St Leonard's Place, which took place earlier this month.
When a void opened in the road on St Leonard's Place, emergency crews made the area safe and called in archaeologists to investigate. Inside the exposed ground, archaeologists uncovered masonry believed to be part of the 12th-13th century St Leonard's Hospital.
"We knew that there is a lot of complex archaeology in the area dating back to the Roman legionary fortress," Councillor Kate Ravilious said, according to Medievalists.net. Councillor Ravilious, a member of the Executive Committee for Transport, added that the finds are exciting, although they delayed the completion of the roadworks. "Throughout the works we have been live to this while doing all we can to get off site as quickly as possible," she said.
St Leonard's Hospital once extended from what is now the Museum Gardens to the site of the Theatre Royal in York. The hospital was constructed shortly after the Norman Conquest on the site of the former St Peter's Hospital, which was founded by King Athelstan in the 10th century.
During the Middle Ages, St Leonard's Hospital played a central role in caring for the sick, the poor, the old, and the infirm. It provided meals for the prisoners in York Castle and fed the poor and the condemned. The hospital also maintained an orphanage, offering shelter and care to children in need.
Like many ecclesiastical buildings, St Leonard's Hospital fell victim to the English Reformation in the 16th century, which led to the break of the Anglican Church from the Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England. The hospital was largely destroyed during the period.
After the English Reformation, the site of St Leonard's Hospital became the Royal Mint, later known as Mint Yard. The area was demolished in 1836 to create the Georgian-era streetscape now seen along St Leonard's Place, which replaced a warren of residencies, yards, and stables built on the site after the Royal Mint.
The destruction of St Leonard's Hospital left York without a hospital from the reign of Henry VIII until the construction of the County Hospital of York in 1740. The loss of the hospital had an impact on the city's ability to care for its vulnerable populations.
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.