As you who know me well can imagine, I was thrilled to learn that a church just near to where we are staying, the parish church St. Helen, was today having what they call a 'Christmas Fayre', and that included in the Fayre activities was a 'jumble sale'!!! Steve learned of the Fayre a few days ago and was excited, too, because this church is on the grounds of what is known as the "Great Hospital at Bishopgate", and we have wanted to get a look around there for a while. Since it is open to the public quite infrequently, we'd never been able to time it right.
The Great Hospital is an Almshouse founded in 1249. It has cared for the ill and indigent, and in some cases, elderly clergy who had no wives or family, in Norwich for over 750 years. 'Alms' are defined as "monies or services donated to support the poor and indigent. In the Middle Ages, the majority of European hospitals functioned as Almshouses". At the time when this particular Great Hospital was established, it had funds enough to house 16 residents and then to feed 13 more who would come to their door in need.
The group of buildings within the gated community includes a church (where the 'wards' for the ill are connected to the church building), a cloister (small but very beautiful), a medieval refectory, and a Victorian hall. It is an attractive group of buildings which is currently used as a village of homes for the elderly.
The church is still open and providing services. We met two very nice members readying the church for Advent who were kind enough to give us a bit of the hospital and church history, and also a tour. We learned that part of the care provided by the Great Hospital in the preceding centuries was to provide bread and a measure of weak beer for anyone who came to the church doors in need. It is hard to imagine, but weak beer was drunk by everyone, including children, as the water simply wasn't safe to drink. The church was still acting as a 'ward' for indigents well into the 1960's.
The 'jumble sale' was held in the hall of the church and was just like a church sale would be in the states: tables full of books and trinkets and crafts and dishes. No clothing, but I did notice a few pairs of shoes. As you can see from the photos, I managed to buy these 3 cute kittens for Sophia, who adores them, for a mere 20 pence (about .30 cents) and these 2 cd's for Steve for just 1 pound (about $1.50). Also, we paid a 1 pound entrance fee (not common in the U.S.) which included a cup of coffee and a slice of homemade mince pie. Steve had the coffees and he and Sophia split the mince pie since I am not a fan. So they were both quite happy with how the morning went, as was I.
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