Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• the Spitle 1544 Kendii,351

• the Spittelle, the Spytell 1547 1546 Rent

• le Spetell 1548 ChantKL

• St. Leonard Spitle 1617 Kendii,390

• Great Spittal 1865 OS

Etymology

Spital, 'my mancion called the Spitle ' 1544 Kend ii, 351, the Spittelle , the Spytell 1547 ib iii, 280, 1546Rent , le Spetell 1548 ChantKL 68, St . Leonard Spitle 1617 Kend ii, 390, Great Spittal 1865 OS, v. spitel 'hospital'. This was a leper-house dedicated to St Leonard (CW xxvii, 58 ff), and was described as belonging to the late chantry of St Leonard in Kirkby Lonsdale (1546Rent 846, 1555 ChantKL 76, 1571 Kend ii, 314), also called the chaunterey of Sainte Leonard , Seynt Leonards Chappell c. 1550, 1551 ChantKL 70, 73. The hospital was on the Kirkby Lonsdale boundary and is to be identified with 'the hospital of St Leonard of Teyneshed ' (i.e. Tearnside in Kirkby Lonsdale) in 1467 Richm xxxii, 118. Cf. Spital (i, 121).