Excavations at the priory and hospital of St Mary Spital, London

Abstract

• In 1197, a modest hospital was founded on the fringes of the City of London. It grew to become one of the most significant institutions for the care of London's sick poor in medieval times. Exactly 800 years later, following extensive archaeological excavations and research, the Museum of London Archaeology Service has produced this volume describing the hospital of St Mary Spital, Bishopsgate. A new approach has been taken to archaeological reporting: all the strands of evidence have been synthesised together to provide a single chronological account of the priory and hospital. This has been designed to produce a fuller account of the site in a more readable format, and to allow current research debates to be addressed in a series of thematic sections. These thematic essays provide insights into topics such as the hospital buildings, the way of life and diet of the inhabitants and the hospital's role in London. The environment of the site is also discussed as are 126 excavated human skeletons. The reuse of the site after the Dissolution of the monasteries is also described. The report is supported by 114 illustrations including photographs and drawings of finds varying from complete ceramic, glass and wooden vessels to items such as leather boots and gold rings.