Maison Dieu, Kent: Commissioned By Henry III In 1234

Maison Dieu in Kent is a remarkable survivor that was commissioned by Henry III in 1234.

The Maison Dieu is a historic flint and timber frame building from the 13th, 15th, and 16th centuries, located at the intersection of Water Lane and the A2.

This Grade 2* Listed building was once part of a medieval hospital complex under Royal patronage.

Positioned on Watling Street, the ancient Roman road, it sits in Ospringe where the Westbrook once broadened into a fordable stream leading to Faversham Creek, making it an ideal location for the Hospital of the Blessed Mary of Ospringe.

Across Water Lane, a private residence (not open to the public) served as another extension of the medieval hospital, likely functioning as a Chantry House for priests.

The foundation of this medieval hospital is attributed to King Henry III, who issued various grants and charters around 1234 to establish it.

The site featured a 'camera regis'—a chamber for visiting royalty to conduct state affairs or pilgrimages while traveling between England and Europe.

It also served as a Pilgrimage Hospital, providing rest for pilgrims en route to Canterbury and the Holy Lands, under the protection of the Knights Templar.

The priests and lay brothers also cared for the local poor, sick, and needy.

For more than three centuries, the hospital was a prominent landmark on the pilgrimage route and played a role in both local and national events.

The hospital was dissolved in 1519 by King Henry VIII, who redirected its revenues and possessions to endow St. John's College, Cambridge.

In 1925, the building was purchased and opened as a village museum by William Whiting, a local archaeologist, with funding from Ospringe residents, to display Roman finds from his excavations in Ospringe between 1920-1925.

A local Trust was established to manage the museum and building, but in 1947, the building came under the guardianship of the State, now represented by English Heritage.

The Maison Dieu Trust manages the site on behalf of English Heritage, independently of the Faversham Society.

The building remains publicly owned and operates as a museum, showcasing both Roman and medieval history through its displays and collections, and is run by volunteers from the local community.

The Maison Dieu contains several notable features.

In the ground floor Hall, accessible from Water Lane, there is a 13th-century window from the Chapel of the original complex.

The Lower Chamber beyond contains an early 16th-century ceiling with original molded beams and a stone fireplace from the same period.

Displayed in the second, slightly later, open fireplace are 19th-century farming implements and trays for drying cordite from a nearby explosives factory.

The eastern Undercroft, with its restored door arch and surrounding stonework, contains windows dating from circa 1200.

This area also displays the history of the Hospital Foundation and the village of Ospringe, along with a small collection of local artefacts.

On the upper floor is the Great Chamber, a splendid room featuring a magnificent Kingpost roof and a T-shaped arrangement of windows, among the earliest surviving examples.

The fireplace in this room is believed to be contemporary with the one in the Hall below.

Showcased here is an impressive collection of Roman remains, primarily from nearby burial grounds.

In the adjoining smaller room, you can find artefacts from the 1977 excavation of the early 13th-century Maison Dieu Hospital buildings, which were demolished during Henry VIII's 1538 Dissolution of the Monasteries and were situated on the opposite side of the A2.

The museum is open during the summer season, with details of opening times available on the English Heritage website Maison Dieu | English Heritage.

Visitors can find parking further down Water Lane or in the car park located further along the A2, on the south side of The Street, at the village boundary towards Sittingbourne.

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