Trott's Almshouses

Row of Almshouses. Founded in 1522 by John Trott for six poor men, erected in 1523 and heavily restored in the C19 and C20.     MATERIAL: random rubble Volcanic Trap stone and sandstone walls and a gabled-end slate roof.     PLAN: six two-storey units, with one room per floor, entered from rear, with the main central entrance, now blocked, to Higher Street. There are two end, and three axial, chimney stacks, with brick shafts.     EXTERIOR: two storeys with a seven-window range to the front. There are one, two, and three-light barred C19 casement windows to the first floor, and six two-light windows to the ground floor, as well as C20 one-light casements. The blocked central doorway has a segmental-headed, moulded arch within a square-headed surround, and foliate spandrels. To the rear there are six doors and six two-light windows to the ground floor, mostly from the C20, with concrete sills. There are six three-light casement windows, dating to the C19 to the first floor.     INTERIOR: there are cross beams to all the interiors, with roll and concave moulding and oak-leaf stops.