Etwall Hospital was founded by Sir John Porte. By Will, dated March 9th, 1556, he directed “that six of the poorest of Etwall parish shall have weekly, for ever, 20d. apiece over and besides such lodgings as he or his executors should provide for them in an almshouse, to be built in or near the churchyard of Etwall, and that the money so to be paid to the said poor should be had and received out of the lands and tenements thereinafter limited for the performance of his Will.” These lands, &c., were in Moseley, Abraham, and Brockhurst, in the County of Lancaster. The Hospital was built as directed. In 1622, (by letters patent, dated 20 June, 19 Jac. I.), owing to the improvements of the lands, &c., and consequent increase of funds, the number of poor men was raised to twelve, and a Master of the Hospital was appointed at a salary of £20. per annum. It was also ordered that “every day twice the poor men should repair to the church at Etwall, and there continue all the time of divine service, and sermon, if any, except for some just cause to be allowed by the master, and should receive the sacrament three times every year at the least; ... and that every one of them should have for their stipend or allowance for every week 2s. 6d., to be paid to them monthly.” The original building having fallen into decay, the present building was erected in the year 1681. Built on three sides of a square, on the north side of Etwall churchyard, from which it is separated by iron rails and a low wall, the Hospital consisted of twelve rooms and a lodge, where the Master resided, (i.e., a room in the north-west corner, (No. 5),) till 1812, when the “Master’s Lodge” was built, about half of a mile away, on the road to Willington. A nurse used to live in the room, which has its entrance from the back yard, at the north-east corner, where there is a washhouse, &c., her duties were to nurse, cook, and wash for the almsmen who had no wives. This room is now occupied by an almsman, the nurse, if there is one, living elsewhere.
Over the door in the centre of the north side is the following inscription:
“Sʳ John Port, Knight, son of Sʳ John Port, one of the Justices of the Court of King’s Bench, haueing by his last Will left an Estate for the Erection and Endowment of a Free Schole at Repton and an Hospital in this place, departed this Life June VI. MDLVII. the which Foundations hauveing been accordingly established, this Hospitall, through length of time falling to decay, was rebuilt, the Sallary’s increased, the Alms Men augmented from VI. to XII. The Right Honourable Theophilus Earle of Huntingdon, the Right Honourable Philip Earle of Chesterfield, and Sʳ William Gerrard, Barronet, Heires Generall to the Founder, being Governors, MDCLXXXI.”
Over the inscription are three shields, containing the arms of the governors, quartering, or otherwise impaling, those of Sir John Porte, over these the shield of Sir John.
The almsmen used to wear blue cloth gowns, with a silver badge on the shoulder, bearing the arms of Sir John.
In 1825 the number of “poor men” was increased to sixteen, and the four rooms were added on the east side of the Hospital.
List of Masters.
| YEAR. | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1622-1657 | [2] | Rev. John Jennings, M.A. |
| 1657-1691 | [2] | Rev. John Jackson, M.A. |
| 1692-1712 | [2] | Rev. Ellis Cunliffe, M.A., Jesus Coll., Cambridge, Fellow, B.A., 1671, M.A., 1675. |
| 1713-1740 | [2] | Rev. James Cheetham, D.D. |
| 1740-1746 | [2] | Rev. Henry Mainwaring, M.A., St. John’s Coll., Cambridge, B.A., 1732, M.A., 1736. |
| 1746-1785 | [2] | Rev. Samuel Burslem, M.A. |
| 1785-1809 | Rev. Joseph Turner, M.A. | |
| 1809-1821 | Rev. William Beer, M.A. | |
| 1821-1832 | Rev. John Chamberlayne, M.A., Formerly 2nd Master of Repton School. | |
| 1832-1842 | Rev. William Boultbee Sleath, D.D., Formerly Headmaster of Repton School. | |
| 1842-1863 | [2] | Rev. William Eaton Mousley, M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge, B.A., 1839, M.A., 1842. |
| 1863-1866 | Rev. John Morewood Gresley, M.A. | |
| 1866 | [2] | Rev. David Crawford Cochrane, M.A., Trinity College, Dublin, B.A., 1857, M.A., 1860. Ox. Com. Caus. 1861. |
FOREMARK AND ANCHOR CHURCH.
Foremark, or Fornewerke, as it was called in Domesday Book, when it belonged to Nigel de Stafford. After passing through the hands of various families, it finally belonged to the Verdons, through the Verdons to Sir Robert Francis, who purchased it from them. The heiress of Sir Robert Francis married Thomas Burdett, Esq., of Bramcote, created a baronet in 1618, and it still belongs to that family. It and Ingleby are mentioned as Chapels of Repton as early as the thirteenth century. In 1650 a report was made by Parliamentary Commissioners, from which we gather that Ingleby was to be disused, and Foremark made the parish church. Owing to the ruinous state of both chapels, Foremark was rebuilt, and Ingleby was demolished, its wood and stone were used to build the bell-tower and churchyard wall of Foremark. On the Feast of St. Matthew, 1662, the new chapel was consecrated by Bishop Hacket.