Almshouses of Cherwell District

 

We start in Kidlington, north of Oxford where these fine almshouses can be found in Church St beside St Mary's church. The almshouses were founded by Sir William Moron in 1631 and upgraded in 1953.

Continuing north east we come to the Studley Almshouses, in Horton-cum-Studley. They were built in 1639 for Sir George Croke. In 1631 he left money in his will to provide housing for 'four men of over 60 and four women of over 50'. He also set a out a list of rules which they must follow. These included being of 'good character', attending church and he noted that drunkenness and swearing were forbidden.

 

Then due north to Steeple Aston, where a pair of cottages, known as Radcliff's Hospital were founded in 1660 and updated in 1815.

 

Heading Northwest we come to the pretty village of Deddington where these Almshouses of 1818 nestle beside the parish church (which can just be glimpsed beyond the chimney).

 

In Little Tew there is a whole group of school, teacher's house and almshouses which was designed by Charles Buckeridge in 1862. Below is the former Almshouses ...

... and further along is the school and teacher's house.

Moving now to Broughton, almost at the western edge of the county we come to the Elizabeth Bradford Wyatt Almshouses founded in 1859.

There were also said to be former Almshouses near to the church in the very attractive village Wroxton, but I was unable to identify any building that looked the part.

So finally to Banbury where Almshouses have stood in the lower part of the Churchyard since at least 1443. In 1711 the Almshouses were repaired by Lord North, having been in a ruinous condition, but by 1877 they were considered unsafe and had to be reconstructed. The Almshouses now accommodated 12  Almspeople “who shall be poor widows or spinsters of good character, and of not less than 60 years of age, who shall have resided in the Borough of Banbury for not less than three years and who, from age, ill health, accident or infirmity, shall be unable to maintain themselves by their own exertions; with a preference to those persons who, being otherwise qualified as aforesaid, shall have become reduced by misfortune from better circumstances”. 

The final rebuilding took place in 1979 and later the title of St. Mary’s Close was given when the Trustees decided to give the Flats another name other than Almshouses.