The Tounson Almshouses

The Tounson Almshouses are a terrace of four paired almshouses, originally built as eight, dating back to around 1682 and altered in 1973. They were commissioned by John Tounson and are located on Kingsbury Street in Calne. The buildings are constructed from limewashed limestone rubble, featuring ashlar ridge stacks and a stone slate roof. Each almshouse is two storeys high with a two-window range and a single-depth plan, originally consisting of one room each.

The central entrances have heavy three-plank doors with wrought-iron strap hinges that have fleur-de-lys ends, and they include grille-covered peep holes. These doors are set in chamfered wood frames with bar stops. The windows are stone-mullioned with ovolo-moulded surrounds and ground-floor label moulds, fitted with leaded metal casements that have stays. Although each almshouse was originally a single-room plan, they now feature a through-passage and side entrances.

On the rear elevation, there is a late 20th-century full-width timber verandah, small single-light windows with timber lintels, and three 20th-century inserted half dormers with leaded lights. Above the second doorway from the left, there is an inscribed plaque detailing the original benefaction by John Tounson in 1683. Inside, the almshouses have heavy lateral beams with roll-stopped chamfers, and the roof is reported to have been renewed. This row of almshouses is a fine example of the local vernacular style.