The Commandery facts for kids
The Commandery is a very old building in Worcester, England, that you can visit. It first opened as a museum in 1977. For a while, it was the only museum in England just about the Civil Wars. In 2007, after a big makeover, it reopened with new exhibits. The building is very important, listed as a Grade I building.
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A Long History of The Commandery
The Commandery has been used for many different things over hundreds of years. It has been a church, a home, a hospital run by monks, a hotel, and now it's a museum.
What You Can See Today
Today, The Commandery shows you six different time periods. It focuses on the people and stories connected to the building during those times.
Here are the periods you can explore:
- The Medieval Period: This is when The Commandery was first built, possibly around 1085. It was a special hospital or "almshouse" for people who were sick or poor. It also offered a place to stay for pilgrims and other travelers. It was likely started by the Knights Hospitaller, who called their areas "commanderies."
- The Tudor Period: After the old hospital closed in 1540, The Commandery became the home of the Wylde family. They were rich cloth makers and lived there for over 200 years.
- The Civil War: This was a very important time for The Commandery. King Charles II used it as his headquarters during the Battle of Worcester.
- The Georgian Period: In 1785, the Wylde family sold The Commandery. It was then split into several different homes for families to live in.
- The Victorian Period: During this time, The Commandery housed a special school. It was for blind boys from wealthy families.
- The 1950s: Later, The Commandery was used as a factory for printing by the Littlebury family.
The museum has fun things to do, like videos, hands-on displays, and activities for kids.
How The Commandery Started
People believe the first building on this site was built in the 11th century. It was ordered by Wulfstan, who was the Bishop of Worcester. He wanted it to be a hospital or almshouse. An almshouse was a place that cared for people who were very sick, poor, or travelers.
In 1935, some old medieval paintings were found in a room that might have been for dying people. These pictures, from around 1490, showed what life might be like after death.
The first time The Commandery was written about was in 1240. This was in a collection of stories called "The Miracles of St. Wulfstan." One story tells about a man named Thomas who was cared for at the hospital. This shows the hospital was definitely there by then.
Another idea is that the hospital was built to celebrate St. Wulfstan becoming a saint in 1203. This date is closer to the first written record. The name "Commandery" suggests it was started by the Knights Hospitaller. These were a group of knights who helped pilgrims and the sick. Their main offices were called "commanderies."
No one knows for sure how The Commandery truly began. It's a bit of a mystery!
The Medieval Hospital of St. Wulfstan
We know more about the good work the hospital did. It was thought to be a place for travelers arriving at Worcester after the city gates closed at night. The Commandery was just outside the city gate, so this makes sense.
In 1294, records show there were 22 sick people staying in the hospital. By the late 1300s, the hospital's work changed. It started offering "corrodies." This meant people could give the hospital their property or money. In return, they would get a place to live and food for the rest of their lives. This was a bit like buying a retirement plan today.
By 1441, people questioned if this was right. Bishop Bourchier of Worcester changed the rules. He stopped the corrodies. He made sure the hospital focused on giving bread to the poor and caring for sick people. He also set up a new way to run the hospital.
Around 1460, The Commandery was completely rebuilt. The old buildings were taken down, except for the chapel. The new buildings are what you mostly see today. The building was clearly divided. There was an infirmary (sick room) and grander rooms for the master who ran the hospital. The Great Hall connected these two parts. The master likely used it for entertaining guests.
On the first floor, there's a special "painted chamber." This room is covered in medieval wall paintings from when the building was rebuilt. They were painted over during the time of King Henry VIII to hide their Catholic themes. This actually helped protect them from damage! The paintings show scenes from the lives of saints, like St. Erasmus and St. Thomas Beckett. Others show the Holy Trinity and the crucifixion of Christ.
Why It's Called "The Commandery"
According to a writer named Nash (in 1784), the name "Commandery" comes from the Knights of the Crusades. He thought that the first known master of the hospital, a man named Walter, might have been a "Commander" in the Knights Templar or Knights Hospitaler. Walter might have kept this title until he died around 1290. Then, the next master also took the title. This started a tradition, and so the master's home became known as The Commandery. No one has found a better explanation since then.
The Hospital Closes Down
The Hospital of St. Wulfstan was closed in 1540. This happened during the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII. Many religious buildings were closed down then. The beautiful wall paintings were covered up, and many other old religious items were probably lost.
After 1540, what happened to The Commandery is a bit unclear. One idea is that a man named Richard Morysyne, who was the last master, bought it for a small amount of money. Another idea is that he gave it to the king, who then gave it to Christ Church, Oxford.
However it happened, by 1541, a rich cloth maker from Worcester named Thomas Wylde was renting The Commandery. In 1545, Thomas bought it completely. His family lived there for many years, until 1785.
