Rahere

On a pilgrimage to Rome, he fell ill and had a reputed vision of St Bartholomew, who directed him to establish a religious hospital.

[1] Upon his return to England, he followed this calling and founded a community of Canons Regular at Smithfield in London, being installed as its prior, a position he held until his death.

An ornate tomb in his memory can be found inside the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great.

He is also a significant character in Rosemary Sutcliff's historical novel for children, The Witch's Brat (1970).

It seems likely that Sutcliff was first introduced to Rahere by reading Kipling's Rewards and Fairies as a child and later chose him as a character for one of her own books: Kipling's works are a significant and openly acknowledged inspiration for Sutcliff.