Almshouses, Stratford-upon-Avon - geograph

The Guild of the Holy Cross was a medieval religious

guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

in Stratford-upon-Avon, which was created in 1269, and abolished in 1547. Throughout the period of its existence, the guild was a central institution of Stratford's civic and cultural life, which catered for the town's spiritual needs and fulfilled a range of political and social functions. A number of historical buildings associated with the guild still survive today. The guild was created in 1269, when Bishop Giffard granted a licence to the brethren to build a chapel and to found a hospital. The Guild Chapel was built soon after. The guild was re-founded in 1403. The guild attracted members from the local

gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest c ...

as well as merchants and craftsmen from the town, and concerned itself with the welfare of its members. By the early

15th century The 15th century was the century which spans the Julian dates from 1 January 1401 ( MCDI) to 31 December 1500 ( MD). In Europe, the 15th century includes parts of the Late Middle Ages, the Early Renaissance, and the early modern period. ...

the guild had come to own many properties in the town, and it used the rental income from these to provide a number of welfare facilities for its members: In around 1420, it constructed a Guildhall and adjoining Almshouses on Church Street. These buildings became the centre of Stratford's civic life, providing many social and political functions, including housing a

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

. The guild reached the peak of its influence in the late 15th century, when it had become the town's semi-official governing body, and probably included all of the more important townsmen. In the early 16th century, membership of the Stratford guild declined as a wave of religious change and uncertainty swept across the country during the

Tudor period The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in England that began wit ...

. Finally, the guild was abolished in 1547, under

King Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...

's suppression of religious guilds, with its property confiscated. In response, the inhabitants of Stratford petitioned the Crown for a charter of incorporation as a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

, which they received in 1553. The charter ensured the continuance both of the privileges which the inhabitants had enjoyed, and continuance of the functions which the guild had undertaken, including the payment of the vicar and schoolmaster and the maintenance of the almshouses. Under the terms of the charter, the town's grammar school was re-founded as the King Edward VI School.

References

{{reflist Stratford-upon-Avon 1269 establishments in Europe 1547 disestablishments in England Guilds in England

See also

References