Heritage Open Day: The Chapel is part of the Hospital of St Mary Magdalen established about 1132 on land given by Archbishop Thurstan of York. The Hospital continues to provide 10 homes for local people in alms houses managed by a charitable trust. Medieval hospitals were quite different from modern hospitals. They offered hospitality to the poor and needy, and to travellers. They were a combination of a free care home and a Travelodge!
The display in the Chapel aims to provide an insight into the patron of the hospital, Archbishop Thurstan of York and an opportunity to see the recently rediscovered hospital seal used on official documents such as the lease of land or sale of property.
It is thought there were about 1,000 hospitals in England, all different from one another.