Almhouses

GAMLINGAY CHURCH STREET TL 2352 (South side) 11/57 No 42-60 (evens) Almshouses 22.11.67 (formerly listed as Jacobs Almshouses)

GV II*

Terrace of ten almshouses. 1665. Red brick, Flemish bond. Tiled roof, end parapets on kneelers and deep overhang at eaves with moulded wood cornice. Five symmetrically disposed and shared red brick ridge stacks. Plan of one room at ground floor with a kitchen at the rear forming one side of a small enclosed yard. Two storeys with plat band between the storeys returned round the gable ends and to the rear wall. The centre has a tablet with a shield of arms above flanked by two upright oval windows with moulded brick architraves. The tablet is inscribed VIVAT obi NATUS JOHANNES JACOB Miles Barotus ANo DONi 1665. At first floor, alternation of one three-light and one single light casement, with repaired leading but some original glass. The single light casements which light the staircases, have elliptical arches with raised impost and keyblocks. At ground floor each cottage has a doorway under gauged brick arch and a two panelled door with a fanlight divided by a mullion, and a three-light cross-frame leaded light casement under a similar flat arch. At the rear each cottage has a segmental arch to an enlarged opening. The enclosed yards are bounded by single storey kitchen, now with modern tiles and wood cladding, but retaining red brick in the end wall which is continued as the back yard wall to the almshouses. On the front is a brickwall which is 1665 in origin. Red brick, part repaired. Inside, each cottage has an exposed stop chamfered main beam and a newel staircase. The almshouses were built with an endowment from Sir John Jacob.

RCHM: West Cambs mon (21) Pevsner: Buildings of England p391 VCH: Cambs Vol V

Listing NGR: TL2391252318