The Charterhouse

Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom

Tucked away in a rather inauspicious area of the city, The Charter House is on Charterhouse Lane, and lies within a small conservation area. The wealthy merchant and first mayor of Hull Sir William de la Pole founded a Priory of Carthusian monks here in 1350, with the further intention of establishing a hospital. The ‘Gods House Hospital’ was eventually established by his son, the charter being granted in 1384 when the first master was appointed. Initially housing 13 poor men and 13 poor women, and surrounded by fields through which the River Hull flowed, the institution prospered from income derived from its lands. Unfortunately this attracted the attention of Henry VIII who in 1536 closed the Priory and turned the monks out. The hospital, however, remained and over time acquired the name The Charterhouse. This name is a corruption of Chartreuse in France where the order of Monks originated from. With Hull’s refusal to admit Charles I in 1642 and the start of the English Civil War, the town became a target for the Royalists and The Charterhouse, being outside the town walls, was demolished so a gun battery could be placed there to defend the town. In 1649 the Master, with his flock, returned to the site and The Charterhouse was rebuilt. However, neglect and decay caused this building to be pulled down in 1777 and a third one was built, the only remaining piece of the original priory being the stone over the door of the Master's House. But more was to come and although The Charterhouse survived World War II the blitz that Hull suffered caused much damage to its buildings. Since its restoration and expansion with improved living quarters the people living there now no longer represent de la Poles ‘indigent and decayed persons’ but pay for their accommodation and are called Residents. What is known as The Charter House consists of the Master's House and walled garden where Andrew Marvell is said to have played under the Mulberry tree and on the northern side of the road Old House which contains the fine Chapel with its Adams ceiling.