Orme Almshouses, Warden's Lodge, entrance gate, enclosing wall and railings.

Orme Almshouses, Warden's Lodge, entrance gate, enclosing wall and railings

Ten almshouses arranged in two terraces of four and six dwellings, together with a warden's lodge, enclosed by a wall and railings. Built between 1885 and 1888 for the Trustees of the Orme Almshouses, which were endowed by the Reverend Frederick Orme. The buildings were designed by James Fowler.

The almshouses are constructed of red brick with stone dressings and slate roof coverings. The two terraces are positioned to the north and east of a central garden, with the warden's lodge adjacent to the easternmost terrace near the entrance from Eastgate. Although built as terraces, the dwellings are designed in pairs.

The almshouses are single storey with gable roofs that sweep low over the principal elevations, providing shelter to the open porch of each dwelling. The roofs are embellished with tile cresting and slender moulded brick ridge chimneys with stone dressings, with one chimney serving each pair of dwellings; the return elevations have stone copings. The cast-iron rainwater goods are original.

The principal elevations of both terraces face the garden. Above a chamfered plinth, each pair of dwellings has a projecting, double pedimented gable with stone quoins and a pair of twelve-light mullion and transom casement windows with stone surrounds. Between the pediments is a cast-iron drainpipe with a square hopper topped by a carved stone gargoyle. Above is a slender stone band, and in the apex of each pediment is a stone niche with classical motif carving to the surrounds. Within each niche is a carving particular to that dwelling, including a scorpion, sun, the initials of the Reverend Orme, and different coats of arms. Above the carved surrounds are sea shells. Flanking the gables, each almshouse has a sheltered porch approached by a step, with a timber balustrade and quarry tile paving. A further step leads to the four-centred arch door opening and timber-batten entrance door.

The west elevation of the north terrace and the south elevation of the east terrace are similarly treated, comprising two single six-light transom casements with stone surrounds. Above, in the gable apex, are three shallow stone niches with carved surrounds, the centre of which displays a carved coat of arms; above is a sea shell. The east and north elevations of the terraces are plainer, with stone cross banding and timber loft access doors. The rear elevations of each terrace comprise a projecting gable to each dwelling with enlarged openings, flanked by twentieth-century flat-roofed extensions with rear doors leading to paths running to the rear of both terraces.

In each almshouse, the main entrance leads into the living room, with a kitchen and bedroom to the rear. The bathroom is accessed from the kitchen. Original joinery and some doors remain; in eight of the dwellings there are timber settles beneath the garden-facing windows. Some have tiled fire surrounds of the 1930s. The shared roof structure comprises principal and common coupled rafters and a ridge piece.

Near the Eastgate entrance stands a detached, two-storey warden's lodge arranged in a T-plan, of plainer treatment than the almshouses. Each gable has stone quoins and herring-bone brick in the apex. The slated roof has a broad four-flue moulded brick ridge stack. To the rear is a single storey wing, altered in the twentieth century. The interior has been refurbished and has very few contemporary fixtures and fittings.

The site is enclosed by a low brick wall with stone coping topped by the original iron railings, some with finials, and occasional brick piers; at the corner with Alexandra Road, the pier is topped by a stone vase. At the Eastgate entrance there are iron gates for vehicular access and an ornate iron gas-light stand on a dwarf brick wall next to the pedestrian entrance.