In 1685, Sir John Duck bought land at Great Lumley and, using money from his mining rights, he built a hospital, or almshouse, for the "sustenance and relief of 12 poor and impotent widows". The widows' rooms were built around a square, with a yard and a pump in the middle. They also had a small chapel, where prayers were read daily. The gates to the hospital were closed each evening to prevent admittance to outsiders and to avoid the widows getting into mischief! Sir John endowed the hospital with an annual income - £40 in 1685 - to ensure the poor widows had sufficient food and coal for heating. Sir John died on Wednesday 26th August, 1691, without issue and was buried at St. Margaret's, Durham, on 31st August 1691.

Eventually the hospital became too broken-down for the trustees to bring up to date and in March 1960 it was demolished after 274 years as an almshouse. The income was now invested in the Charity Commissioner's Common Investment fund and in 2010, 60 pensioners and needy people still benefited from Sir John Duck's generosity by the receipt of food parcels.

The hospital stood on the snow covered area to the left of the seat which is dedicated to Sir John