The Almhouses

The Almshouses, also known as Seth Ward's Hospital, comprise Nos 1 to 15 (odd) on Buntingford High Street. Built in 1684, they were commissioned by Seth Ward, Bishop of Exeter and Salisbury, a mathematician, astronomer, and friend of Christopher Wren. The building is constructed of plum brick in Flemish bond, with Portland stone dressings and a steep, old red tile hipped roof. It is a U-shaped building enclosing a courtyard open to the east, with a symmetrical front of seven windows and wings to the north and south, each with five windows. The ends of the wings have two windows per floor and an offset plinth matching the red brick courtyard retaining wall, surmounted by a wrought iron railing on timber posts which sweep up to a central gate approached by two steps. Portland stone is used for rusticated quoins, a plain floor band, a bold modillioned cornice with an egg-and-dart bedmould, moulded two-light mullioned windows, eared door surrounds (without a frieze below the cyma cornice), and an elaborate carved centrepiece. At the rear, architectural features include a deep coved cornice, a brick band, and segmental brick arches to heavy, wooden, two-light casement windows. Chimneys rise from the back wall. A slightly projecting, pedimented central bay within the courtyard features a window above a wide stone doorway with an ornamental head crowned with a swan-neck pediment enclosing the arms of Bishop Ward. A tablet above the door reads: “1684/THIS HOSPITAL WAS ERECTED AND/ENDOWED BY SETH WARD D:D: LD. BP. OF/SALISBURY & CHANCELLr. OF YE MOST NOBLE: ORDER OF YE GARTERWHO WAS BORN IN YIS:/TOWN WITHIN YE PARRISH OF ASPDEN & EDVCA-/TED IN YE FREE-SCHOOL OF BUNTINGFORD.” Fine scrolled stone trusses support the entablature, which has a swelled frieze and a moulded surround to the battened door. The almshouses provide accommodation for four men and four women, with a living room and another room on the ground floor, and a bedroom and a smaller room on the first floor. There are two houses in each wing, with doors at each corner, and four houses in the main block, separated by the central feature. The windows have leaded glazing, and the doors are one step up from the courtyard. This is a fine classical almshouse of 1684 of outstanding interest.