Introduction

This part of the site is designed to provide you with a variety of links to external websites that might be of interest. There are, for instance, lots of sites on medieval hospitals, as well as medieval medicine, and some are listed here. Other sites make available sources, including information on hospitals, translations of important sources, government records, academic articles and more! Of course, our suggestions are by no means exhaustive, and, as the web is constantly changing, you will find new sites appearing all the time (and old ones disappear).

The final part, however, recommends places you can go to do your own research, both locally and nationally. These institutions are not off-putting or reserved for experts, but are there for you to make the most of the nation's history and heritage.


[top]

Are there sites on the Great Hospital?

You will notice that there are only a few sites we recommend. Indeed, that is why we created this one - we wanted the Great Hospital and its remarkable history to be better known throughout the world.

This site is run and maintained by the Great Hospital.

This site is run by HEART, Norwich's Heritage, Economic and Regeneration Trust. This is a registered, independent charity, which emerged from a perceived need to fill a gap in heritage management in the city.


[top]

Are there any sites for other Medieval Hospitals?

There are quite a few sites on medieval hospitals, some containing historical documents, others just visitor information.

The International Network for the History of Hospitals is supported by the European Association for the History of Health. It exists to promote studies related to the historical evolution of hospitals from their beginnings to the present day by providing an international forum for communication and discussion among scholars interested in the subject.

In the Museum Gardens at York, by the River Ouse, are the ruins of the medieval hospital of St Leonard, the largest in the north of England, established by the son of William the Conqueror in about 1100. Here a dedicated order of canons looked after 200 of the local poor, sick and orphaned.

This site traces the history of St Bartholomew's hospital from 1123 until the present day. Filled with images of interesting artefacts and medical instruments that have survived the centuries, it provides a remarkable insight into the development of medical knowledge and skill as well as the treatment of the sick over the ages.

Set in open meadow land to the south of Winchester, the Hospital of St Cross was founded in the 1130s by Bishop Henry of Blois for 'thirteen poor men, feeble and so reduced in strength that they can scarcely or not at all support themselves without other aid. It later became a celebrated almshouse.

A site dedicated to the Maison Dieu, Ospringe

Santa Maria della Scala, Siena, Italy, one of Europe's oldest hospitals, terminated its health-service functions some years ago and became (and in part still is) the object of an important renovation operation for museum and cultural purposes.

St. John's hospital, Bruges, was a powerful and rich institution. In 1978 it lost its function as hospital and harbours now the Memling museum, the hospital museum and the old pharmacy.


[top]

Are there any sites with Medieval Sources, Information on Medieval Medicine and / or Academic Articles?

There are a few sites that provide free access to relevant medieval sources and other, more specialist, information. Please note, however, that the following contains material in English, as well as other languages (such as Latin).

Try looking at the following:

This site contains an English translation of the proceedings of the Fourth Lateran Council.

British History Online is a digital library containing some of the core printed primary and secondary sources for the medieval and modern history of the British Isles. It contains many entries from the volumes of Victoria County History, including those on St Giles' and other medieval hospitals.

MedHist is a free catalogue of evaluated, high quality Internet resources and websites relating to the history of medicine and allied sciences, covering all aspects of the history of health and development of medical knowledge. MedHist is updated regularly and caters for an intended audience of students and staff working within the further and higher education sectors, although it will also appeal to anyone with a general interest in the subject area.

Teachers, students, academics and the public can now download and use images depicting 2,000 years of mankind and medicine for free, thanks this newly launched website from the Wellcome Trust.

This resource gives you instant access to thousands of images from the British Library's unparalleled collections.

For a very basic guide to medieval medicine, visit this site


[top]

Where Should I go to do my own Research?

This country is blessed with some outstanding research libraries and institutions, and we would recommend that, if you want to undertake your own research, you should visit them and make the most of their resources.

The first place you should go, however, if you have a keen interest in the Great Hospital or the history of Norwich is the Norfolk Record Office, Norwich (or NRO as it is more commonly known).

The NRO collects and preserves records of historical significance for the county of Norfolk and makes them accessible to as wide a range of people as possible. Most importantly it holds the archives of the Great Hospital.

Other places to visit might be:

The British Library, London, is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest libraries.

The Wellcome Library, London, owns collections of books, manuscripts, archives, films and pictures on the history of medicine from the earliest times to the present day.

The National Archives is also the official archive for England, Wales and the central UK government, containing 900 years of history from Domesday Book to the present, with records ranging from parchment and paper scrolls through to recently created digital files and archived websites. Increasingly, these records are being put online, making them universally accessible.


[top]