The Hospice, or Hospital of God's House – Domus Dei or Maison Dieu – was founded in the latter half of the 12th century by Gervase (or Gervaise) le Riche, burgess and portreeve (port warden) of Southampton.

He would step out of his house, through the wicket-gate, at once upon a pier or quay, against which the waters lapped at high tide, and where the official vessel awaited him for embarkation.

[7] The resident members of the hospital consisted of a custos or warden, two or more priests, three or more brethren, some ten sisters, three or more poor men and women — who were to make themselves generally useful according to their health and strength.

Besides these, there were various officials and servants necessary for so large an establishment, such as cook, barber surgeon, laundress, dairymaid, cowherd, shepherd, brewer, and swineherd.

There appears to have been a large body of men, partially non-resident, who, acting as under-stewards, managed the various properties of the hospital, and had to give account thereof to the warden.

[9] The "brethren and sisters" were also to receive the travellers, wayfarers, and pilgrims, on their embarkation and debarkation, or on their journey generally, to wait upon them in the refectory, and to tend them, if sick, in the infirmary.

Thus one became a gatekeeper, another helped at harvest time to reap corn, a third assisted at some menial work, and at the end of the year was presented with two pairs of shoes.

[9] For the maintenance of the hospital the founder bestowed on it grants of land, farms, manors and messuages which were subsequently supplemented by further bequests made by royal and other donors.

[8] Although God's House was founded a few years before the death of Henry II of England, there is no mention of the Hospital or Grevase le Riche in correspondence relating to that king.

Edward IV, whose grandfather was buried in the chapel, separated a number of religious establishments in England from French monasteries and instead affiliated them to God's House Hospital.

[15] Because the hospital was affiliated to the college and not the Catholic church at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, it escaped confiscation under Henry VIII.

The group were allowed to use the God's House chapel - St. Julian's Church - with regular services apparently beginning on 21 December 1567, with a congregation that day of 85 people.

[20] The almshouse continues to be managed by a charity, Sadler's Gift For God's House, of which the single trustee is listed as the "provost and scholars at Queens College".

[24] The residences of the brethren and sisters consisted each of one sitting-room, one bedroom, and a small kitchen or scullery, and were described as affording "ample room and a comfortable home for one person".

[25] In 1894 there was a blocked up Norman doorway exactly opposite the west door of the chapel, the entrance to some previous large building, whose site was occupied by coal cellars.

[27] A brass fastened to a mahogany slab, about 3 feet (0.91 m) long, with a head of alabaster attached, was stated to be the figure of Wallerand Thevelin, one of the French ministers in 1584.