The Hidden Jewel in the crown of Warwick historic buildings.
The Lord Leycester Hospital is not now, and has never been a medical
establishment. The word hospital is used in its ancient sense meaning "a charitable
institution for the housing and maintenance of the needy, infirm or aged".
The Hospital is an historic group of timber-framed buildings dating mainly from the
late 14th Century clustered round the Norman gateway into Warwick with its 12th Century
Chantry Chapel above it. Hidden behind the ancient buildings is the tiny but delightful
Master's Garden.
For nearly 200 years it was the home of Warwick's mediaeval Guilds. In the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I it became a place of retirement for old warriors and their wives. So
it remains today as an independent charity providing a home for ex-Servicemen and their
wives.
The Hospital is open to the public and welcomes visitors from all over the world
throughout the year. Charming rooms are available for the celebration of civil
ceremonies and weddings and other private functions.
The ancient buildings provide a rich educational resource for school visits.
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