Dr. Jenner's House, formerly known as the Edward Jenner Museum, in
Berkeley
Berkeley most often refers to:
*Berkeley, California, a city in the United States
**University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California
*George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher
Berkeley may also refer to ...
, England, is housed in a grade II*
listed early 18th century building called the Chantry, famous as the home of
Edward Jenner
Edward Jenner (17 May 1749 – 26 January 1823) was an English physician and scientist who pioneered the concept of vaccines and created the smallpox vaccine, the world's first vaccine. The terms ''vaccine'' and ''vaccination'' are derived f ...
FRS,
physician, surgeon and pioneer of
smallpox vaccination
The smallpox vaccine is used to prevent smallpox infection caused by the variola virus. It is the first vaccine to have been developed against a contagious disease. In 1796, British physician Edward Jenner demonstrated that an infection with th ...
, and now used as a museum.
History
The Chantry was built in the village of Berkeley in the early 18th century and gained its name from being built on land associated with a former community of monks, next to the village church. Edward Jenner bought the property, owned by the Weston family, in 1785, and moved there before his marriage to Catherine Kingscote in 1788.
ivy
''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern ...
that in later years grew up the sides of the adjacent church tower, and a grapevine in a vinery built against the Chantry. He also had the Reverend Mr Ferryman build a rustic hut at the bottom of the garden where Jenner treated the poorer families in the district. Jenner later did vaccinations in it and referred to it as "the Temple of Vaccinia". Jenner was living at the Chantry when he conducted the first ever vaccinations in 1796 and 1798 which showed the potential for the control smallpox. Although Jenner briefly maintained homes in Cheltenham and London the Chantry remained his principal residence until his death in 1823.[ In 1876 Jenner's descendants sold the house to the ]Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
, who used it as the local vicarage.
History of The Chantry
'', The Jenner Museum, accessed 11 April 2012.
Museum
In 1985 the Chantry was purchased by the Edward Jenner Museum, dedicated to the work of the doctor and wider immunology
Immunology is a branch of biology and medicine that covers the study of Immune system, immune systems in all Organism, organisms.
Immunology charts, measures, and contextualizes the Physiology, physiological functioning of the immune system in ...
; the Japanese businessman Ryoichi Sasakawa donated a significant sum to enable the acquisition.[ Restoration work was gradually carried out over the following years, allowing more of the building to be opened to the public.][
The chantry building holds grade II* listed status, as does the rustic "Temple of Vaccinia" in the garden.]
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Dr. Jenner’s House
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dr. Jenner's House
Grade II* listed houses in Gloucestershire
Historic house museums in Gloucestershire
Jenner
Museum
A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...
Medical museums in England
Berkeley, Gloucestershire