Almshouses

The almshouses at Nos 41 and 43 on Lowfield Street were built in 1889 by John Johnson in the Queen Anne Dutch style. They stand on the site of four earlier almshouses constructed by John Byer during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The building is two storeys high and made of yellow brick, featuring red cut brick dressings that were specially made by the Elham Valley Brick Company. The roof is tiled with curved gable ends.

Architectural details include four ornamental pediments, two of which are triangular and the other two are curved, incorporating the date AD 1889. There is a moulded brick eaves cornice and a moulded brick stringcourse between the ground and first floors, decorated with an Anthemion motif. Each floor has four double sash windows set in moulded architraves. A tablet between the two central first-floor windows commemorates the earlier almshouses that once occupied the site. Below the first-floor windows are panels of swag moulding.

The two doorcases feature stone open pediments, moulded architraves, rectangular fanlights, and six fielded panelled doors, with the top two panels cut out and glazed. The building also has a plinth.