Numbers 40 To 54 And Flanking Outbuildings

This is a row of eight almshouses, with a small outbuilding at each end, dated 1687 and built with funding from Richard Winwood, whose father, Sir Ralph, was the principal Secretary of State to James I. The almshouses are constructed from thin chequer brick with vitreous headers, featuring a moulded brick plinth, a gauged first floor band course, and brick pilasters at each end. The roof is made of old tiles with brick copings on the main gables. There are four intermediate brick chimney stacks, each with four attached diagonal shafts.

The structure is symmetrical, consisting of one storey and an attic with eight bays. The ground floor has paired casements with diamond leading and gauged brick heads, while the upper floor features single leaded casements set above the eaves in gables with moulded wooden bargeboards. The gables alternate in size, with smaller gables over the single leaded casements. There are two-panel doors in wooden frames with gauged brick heads.

Porch projections between bays three and four and bays five and six have shaped gables and blind painted windows in the attics. The band courses over these porches are raised to the front, featuring semi-circular brick arches with moulded edges, gauged keys, and impost blocks. Each porch has a shaped plaque with a raised inscription tablet in a scrolled surround, along with a coat-of-arms and flanking cornucopiae. The side walls of the porches have similar arches with wooden shutters and leaded oval windows above.

The gable walls of the range have segmental-headed openings; the right gable is blind while the left has barred wooden casements. The rear of the building is similar to the front but includes twelve small even gables, one of which is segmental. The small symmetrical outbuildings are significant to the overall design and feature coved segmental gables at the front. The side walls of these outbuildings have some timber framing but are partly rebuilt in brick.