Numbers 1-8 St Mary'S Almshouses

TL3514SE 829-1/9/72

WARE TOWN CRIB STREET (West side) Nos.1-8 (consec) St Mary's Almshouses

GV II

Almshouses. Dated 1861 replacing C17 buildings. George Hitch, designer, James Hitch builder. Plum-red brick, Flemish bond, with stucco plinth, quoins and window surrounds. Old tiled roofs with central band of fish-scale tiles and Welsh slate margins at eaves. Red brick chimneystacks. Wings on Church Street and Crib Street, entered diagonally at the corner, via rear courtyard with galleries supported on cast-iron surround with long and short quoins, head surround to 3-light window above. Inscribed tablet above 'rebuilt AD 1861 and low gabled parapet with artificial stone kneelers and coping. Wings have stucco long and short quoins, and 3-light windows with long and short quoined surrounds, 2 windows ground and first floors facing Church Street; 4 facing Crib Street. All windows renewed in 1980s with aluminium frames and plain glazing with planted lead strips. The courtyard within backs on to The Manor House, No.9 Church Street (qv). Almshouses for widows, established early C17, administered by Ware Charity Trustees under an indenture of 1612. The buildings form a focal point in the street picture of Church Street and Crib Street. (Hunt EM: The History of Ware: Hertford: 1986-1946: 65; Perman D: 600 Yrs of Charity. A Brief History of the Ware Charity Trustees: Ware: 1991-: 20-21, 24-26, 47; Ware 25" to 1 Mile. Surveyed by the Ordnance Survey Department: 1851-; The Victoria History of the County of Hertford: London: 1912-: 381).

Listing NGR: TL3572014484