HISTORIAN Arthur R. Nicholls recounts the history of the leper house in Kendal:

From earliest times, diseases have plagued mankind. One such was leprosy.

It was a loathsome, highly contagious disease, which caused the sufferer's flesh to turn white and progressively and painfully to decay before dropping away and leading to death.

The ancient Hebrews set down rules to be obeyed by lepers. They were to keep well away from other people, wear torn clothes, let their hair become unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out 'unclean, unclean!'

They were to live alone or with other lepers well away from any habitation and they were universally feared. In later years only Jesus Christ dared to come near them and to touch them.

In the middle ages lepers were not unknown near to Kendal, where they were feared and shunned. Only the church showed compassion following the example of Jesus.

Records show that by 1085 a building had been founded, probably by William de Lancaster, as a hospital. It was on land off the Appleby Road north east of the town and a safe distance from habitation, near the confluence of the rivers Mint and Sprint.

This was not a medical establishment but a place of refuge for tired wayfarers. It was run by a chaplain whose duties were 'to provide spiritual guidance and help to the inmates and to lodge and feed the decrepit'.

Records show that it was a small building, which had a dual purpose as it was also known as a lazar or leper house. Presumably, the few lepers were kept well away from the wayfarers.

The hospital, named St Leonard's, was placed in the hands of the Augustinian Cannons of Conishead Priory, who appointed the chaplains who had to be priests.

Among the chaplains of the hospital over the years was John Wright, who was only 20 years old when he was appointed. He was not yet old enough to be ordained a priest, but the Canons seemed to have felt that he had the making of a good priest so they waived the rules.

When William de Ros died, he held the Mastership of the Hospital which housed, including him, two chaplains to celebrate divine service for the four lepers residing there. In 1316, custody of the hospital was granted to Roger de Kendale, Vicar of Kendal.

The hospital carried out its duties faithfully over the centuries. Then, in 1538, the Priory was suppressed by the order of Henry VIII, but the hospital carried on its work undeterred.

From time to time the land around the hospital was leased for farming to such as Richard Bellingham, who sub-let portions to tenants. In 1548, Anthony Garnet obtained the lease and evicted all the inmates and the hospital closed.

The area where the hospital once stood became known over the years as just Spital and on maps is shown as Spital Farmhouse and Woods. Archaeologists have found a few artefacts but there is now no sign of the hospital.