Cardiff Records, Volume II, Chapter I
NOTES ON THE MANORS OF THE CARDIFF DISTRICT

Transcribed by Pat Sewell 1995
email: pat.sewell@btopenworld.com
www: http://www.btinternet.com/~pat.sewell/

Last Modified: 9 April 1996

Note: Cartae = G. T. Clark's "Cartae et alia munimenta quae ad Dominium de Glamorgan pertinent"

MANOR OF THE SPITTAL

Spittal Manor was attached to a religious guest-house or alms-hospital at Crockherbtown. It was situate in the parish of Saint John Baptist, and may possibly have been a dependency of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, or Knights Hospitallers. Its tithe was afterwards held by the Dean of Gloucester. Crockherbtown was the eastern suburb of Cardiff.

1550. The Minister's Accounts refer to "3 and half acres of land in the field called le Spyttles close", claimed by William Bawdrib, esquire, as parcel of his inheritance ; and to "4 acres of arable land near the channel called the Spittell lane".

It does not appear from the public records that the Spittal itself was ever in the hands of the Crown. Possibly, like the Spittal close above mentioned, the Spittal itself was claimed by Bawdrib as having been originally granted by his ancestors. Sir William Herbert, the Crown grantee of 1550, or his son Henry, second Earl of Pembroke, purchased this manor of William Bawdrippe ante 1570. "It hath free tenant leases and coppy houlds for iij lives."

(Abbreviate.)

In an account of Edmund Rowland, Receiver General of Henry, Earl of Pembroke, 1573-4

the Spittal is described as having been purchased of William Bawdrippe.

1610. Speed's map shows the "Spitle" as a building standing east and west in the middle of Newport Road.

1666. (Cardiff Survey). Schedule of the bounds and rents of the Lordship of Spittle. James Herbert esq. possessed the capital house called the Spittle, and 5a. of land, late in the tenure of William Bawdripp esq. deceased. Herbert Evans esq. held 8a. with 5 cottages & gardens, and the barn and orchard, all at Crockerbtown.

In 1782 Lord Cardiff was rated to St. John's for the "Spittle Barn," and in 1783 a Mr. Hurst and Mrs. Jones were in possession of "Spittle House and Garden."

In 1804 part of the Spittal property was valued at 200L. and conveyed in exchange from Lord Bute to the Cardiff Corporation. In 1835 it was conveyed to Mr. Edward Priest Richards, and it afterwards formed portion of the Stacey estate. The Gaol stands on another part of the Spittal lands.

A block of old tenements known as the Spital Buildings was demolished in 1885, and the same name is now borne by a row of new shops on the Queen Street frontage of the land.