EXHIBIT 23.1

                         Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the incorporation by reference in  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 1
to the  Registration  Statement (Form S-3 No. 33-62135) of Health and Retirement
Properties Trust and in the related  Prospectus,  in the Registration  Statement
(Form S-3 No. 333- 26887) of Health and Retirement  Properties  Trust and in the
related prospectus;  and in the Registration  Statement (Form S-3 No. 333-34823)
of Health and Retirement  Properties Trust and in the related  Prospectus of our
report  dated  February  9, 1998,  with  respect to the  consolidated  financial
statements of Health and Retirement  Properties Trust  incorporated by reference
in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1997.

Our  audits  also  included  the  financial  statement  schedules  of Health and
Retirement  Properties  Trust  listed in Item  14(a).  These  schedules  are the
responsibility of the Company's management.  Our responsibility is to express an
opinion based on our audits. In our opinion,  the financial  statement schedules
referred to above, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements
taken as a whole,  present fairly in all material  respects the  information set
forth therein.

                                        /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
                                        ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
March 9, 1998