Almshouses of Cornwall

 

 

 

We start this review of Cornish Almshouses in the eastern end of the county at Saltash. The Buller Almshouses were erected at Burraton Coombe in1726 by James Buller and rebuilt in 1860 by John Francis Buller Esqr, of Morval House, Great Great Grandson of the founder. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate a non-copyright photo, other than this dedication stone. The Almshouses are near the Post Office and look very plain.

 

Now to St Germans where Sir William Moyles's Almshouses were founded in 1583. They were restored and converted to four apartments in the late 20th century. Pevsner describes them as the most arresting buildings in the village.

 

Nearby are the former Almshouses known as the Maid's House.

A little further west is the Poad's Trust Almshouses in Menheniot. The cottages were built in 1840 and acquired by Henry Poad who left the cottages in his will to the poor and deserving people of Menheniot. They have been upgraded several times since then.

Moving on to Polmear near Fowey, the first eight Rashleigh Almhouses were founded before 1626 by John Rashleigh, with others being added in 1663 by Jonathan Rashleigh in 1663. The later ones were in thanksgiving for surviving the Civil War, according to Pevsner. They seem to have been subject to numerous alterations thereafter.

A later generation of Rashleighs were responsible for the Charlestown, the nearby port, established in the 18th century by Charles Rashleigh. It was originally built to facilitate the transport of copper from nearby mines.

On the other side of Cornwall are the Padstow Almshouses in Middle Street. They were built in 1875 in red brick English bond (which is unusual in Cornwall).

The plaque over the archway reveals that the Almshouses were built in 1875 in memory of John Tredwyn who died in 1870.

Further to the south and west, in Tregony, are Hugh Boscawen's Almshouses erected in 1696, but extensively rebuilt in 1895 by the wonderfully named Sylvanus Trevail.

Truro has a surprising lack of Almshouses, given that it is a city. The only reference I have been able to find was a reference to Williams’Almhouses. "This group of low buildings surrounding a central courtyard were built in 1631 at the bequest of Henry Williams. All that remains of the complex now is the foundation stones which were once part of the arched almshouses’ gateway and now lie forlorn in the gardens of a modern bungalow nearby" Thanks to https://cornishbirdblog.com/truros-forgotten-past-our-citys-hidden-secrets/ for this information. 

South West of Truro is Mr Lanyon's Almshouses, built in 1726. Pevsner describes it as "a remarkable survival of almshouses in their original function".

 

In the village of Gulval, not far from Falmouth are the Gulval Almshouses built by Richard Foster Bolitho in 1903.

 

Next, in Falmouth, is Earle's Retreat, almshouses of 1869 by Alexander Lauder for George Earle. Pevsner describes it as "a stylish exercise in the Gothic Revival".

And near the western tip of Cornwall is Hutchens Almshouse in Paul, near Mousehole. It dates from 1709 and is now known as Hutchens House.

Note: I believe this is a full set of Almshouses in Cornwall, but additional information or errors to be corrected would be most welcome. Click on the Comments option at the bottom of the post.