Hospitals in medieval Scotland

From c. 1144 to about 1650 many hospitals, bedehouses and Maisons Dieu were built in Scotland. There are many terms that apply to, or describe a "Hospital". The origin of the English term, "Hospital", is probably from the French or Latin. English and European terms for Hospital appear to have a common root. "Hospital" - from the Latin – "a place of rest for guests". Other terms are recognized. Almshouse; Bede House; Chantry ; God's House ; Infirmary ; Spital ; Domus hopitalis Sancti Spiritus (Lat) ; Gasthuis (Ger) ; Godshuis (Dut) ; Hôpital (Fr) ; Hôtel-Dieu (Fr) ; Krankenhaus(Ger) ; Maison Dieu (Fr) ; Ospedale (It) ; Sjukhus(Swe) ; Xenodochium(Gk). Records provide evidence of more than 180 Hospitals in Scotland. The term "spit(t)al" or "temple/ templar" may also indicate land endowed by churches or monasteries as well as sites associated with the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitallers. Many hospitals were in the north east of Scotland in the cities of Dundee, Old Aberdeen and Aberdeen and across Aberdeenshire.

Close to one thousand Hospitals in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were founded during a period of six hundred years. To begin with the causes for the building of Hospitals across Europe and in Great Britain can be found in the Western Catholic Church’s teaching related to Charity and Piety together that of Purgatory. In practice the theologies of Charity, Piety and Purgatory supported each other. Piety had three related meanings. First the sense of showing compassion; second the religious sense of Godliness and devoutness; and third, the sense of duty and respect. Taken together these meanings for piety suggest " a sense of compassion and respect driven by a religious duty ". Similarly, poverty was seen as the normal condition of having few materials possessions or wealth. The nobility and Royalty had wealth and influence. It was "normal" for others to be "poor". Poverty for many was close to a state of complete destitution. The Church taught that piety was a duty born in religious conviction. Also that poverty was not necessarily a fall from grace, rather it was an opportunity to follow the Christian teaching "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy...." (Matthew, 5:7) In this complex of supporting and contrasting theories Hospitals were built by the Church for multiple reasons. In Great Britain it was not until the Reformation in the sixteenth century that civic authorities had to face poverty, ageing and a revised approach to charity and piety by the Churches.

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