The Old Almshouses

The Old Almshouses comprise three houses, originally five almshouses, situated in Cheriton Fitzpaine. The original four date probably to the early 17th century, with estimates ranging from 1594 to the second half of the 17th century, and a fifth was added in 1853, with renovations circa 1970.

The construction is of plastered cob on exposed rubble footings to first-floor level, set on a low, chamfered plinth. The building features exposed volcanic stone stacks with blocks laid in rough courses, and chimney shafts of plastered brick. A thatched roof covers the structure. Originally, it was a row of four one-room plan almshouses facing northwest, with a single, similarly styled, one-room plan almshouse added to the northeast end. Each original almshouse had a front-projecting lateral stack, with the location of the front door to the left and the back door opposite. The 1853 addition’s doorway is placed to the right of its front-projecting lateral stack.

No. 1 incorporates the 1853 addition and the left of the original almshouses. No. 2 occupies the single original almshouse adjoining to the right, and No. 3 takes the right (southwest) pair of originals. The building is two stories high and features a five-window front of circa 1970 casement windows with glazing bars. The original volcanic stone stacks are not identical, but all have a drip course at eaves level, with the left-hand three incorporating moulded volcanic stone coping beneath the 19th-century brick chimney shafts. The 1853 left end stack is built in a matching style and includes a small Beer stone date plaque inscribed 1853 near the top. Though the original doorway positions have been altered, blocked doorways show with straight joins below the circa 1970 windows. Many casement windows have replaced original mullioned windows with leaded glass.

Internally, the original almshouses have cob party walls, though these have been knocked through to create large ground floor rooms in Nos. 1 and 3. The 1853 addition contains plain carpentry detail. The original almshouses all feature oak axial beams with halved beams along the front and rear walls, presenting a chamfered profile with late step stops. Fireplaces are present in the front wall. No. 2 features volcanic ashlar with an oak lintel and ovolo-moulded surround. No. 3 incorporates two fireplaces: the central almshouse has plain volcanic stone sides and an ovolo-moulded oak lintel, while the end almshouse has a volcanic ashlar hooded fireplace with an ovolo-moulded surround (the oak lintel being mutilated). The end almshouse also includes a stone oven in the pent roof. The roof contains purlins between cob crosswalls.

The row of almshouses is well-preserved and notably attractive.