Linacre Building

My first blip of this building was a little enigmatic and I've been waiting for the chance to show it off. This morning's bright sunshine provided the opportunity. When I first started teaching in Wigan, this was part of the college. Formerly it was the Grammar school in the town replacing an earlier building dating back to 1879.

It's named after Thomas Linacre who was born in Canterbury in about 1460. He entered All Souls College, Oxford in 1480 and distinguished himself in Greek. He then studied in Rome, gaining a knowledge of Greek and Latin which made him one of the foremost humanistic scholars of his time. He also studied medicine at Vicenza, receiving his medical degree at Padua. Ten years later, back in England, Linacre became physician to King Henry VIII and regular attendant to many of the most prominent people in the country. He was also the close friend of Sir Thomas More and Erasmus. After 11 years as a physician, Thomas Linacre resigned to become a priest.

It was around this time that he was appointed as Rector of a number of parishes and in 1520 he obtained the rectory of Wigan, which he appears to have held till his death. It seems that these preferments resulted in a kind of celebrity endorsement for the town dignitaries who were willing to pay out for a pension in return. Obviously this wasn't paid out by the top folk, but by local parishioners in the form of a levy.

That's all folks - nearly the weekend :)