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Medieval Leprosy Hospital Walls Unearthed in Lincoln
By Drooid · · How we work
Discovery of the Hospital of the Holy Innocents
Archaeologists from the television series *Time Team* began a three-day excavation on the South Common of Lincoln, targeting the site of the Hospital of the Holy Innocents. Test pits revealed the medieval boundary walls of what is believed to be one of England’s earliest and largest leprosy hospitals. A 30-metre (98-ft) trench was opened to connect two test pits where wall traces were identified, exposing a series of square features that likely housed individual lepers.
Historical Context and Significance
The Hospital of the Holy Innocents is recorded as having accommodated up to 20 people with leprosy during the late 11th to early 12th centuries. Historical documents suggest the institution persisted for roughly five centuries, providing a rare glimpse into medieval care for a stigmatized disease. The recent finds build on a prior geophysical survey and on the “Local Landscapes and Hidden Histories” project that first identified the building’s remains last year.
Project Funding and Scale
The excavation is the opening phase of a three-year research programme financed by a £248,139 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and led by Anglia Ruskin University. More than 100 volunteers have taken part in the initial dig, and the project aims to map the full layout of the hospital complex, including the numerous 5-metre (16-ft) square enclosures that may represent individual leper dwellings.
Official Statements & Responses
She added that admission to such a facility required resources: “You’d need to have resources to get in here,” highlighting the social stratification of medieval leper care. The City of Lincoln Council noted that the hospital likely remained operational for about five centuries and expressed enthusiasm for continued community involvement.
Future Work
The three-year “Hidden Histories Unearthed” project will continue to involve local residents in further excavations and public events. Organisers anticipate that additional digs will clarify the daily lives of the hospital’s inhabitants and expand understanding of medieval public health infrastructure.
