Maison Dieu (Hospital of St Catherine)

Merchant Roger Thornton endowed in 1425, on the death of his wife Agnes, the Hospital of St Catherine (the Maison Dieu - House of God), which he built at the east end of the medieval Guildhall (HER 4874). There was a master and three bretheren, free burgesses of Newcastle, who looked after nine poor men and four women who lived there. An endowment of 1425 names the master as John Fenwick (who also looked after St Lawrence chapel) and the first thirteen "paupers" as John Pynchebek, Robert Wermouth, William Cike, John Iriby, William Milton, Stephen Hunter, Thomas Bywell, John Fleming, John de Sayntannes, Isabella del Bothe, Lucy Smith, Margaret Fenwick, Katherind Finlay. Thornton later granted the use of the hall and kitchen of the hospital to the mayor and community of Newcastle. The Merchant Adventurers' Court was above the hospital, this being Newcastle's first Guildhall. The Mayor and Corporation were granted use of the hall and kitchen of St Catherines Hospital in 1456. The Merchants of Woollen Cloth/Drapers met here until 1512. In 1624 the Hospital was conveyed to the Mayor and burgesses by Sir Richard Lumley. The Maison Diew and Court were left untouched by Robert Trollopes reconstruction of the Guildhall in 1656. After some time in use as a warehouse the building was pulled down in 1823 and replaced with John Dobson's Greek Revival style Guildhall which still stands today.