Jesus Hospital

Jesus Hospital is a group of almshouses, now converted to flats for the elderly. The core of the building was constructed in 1593 for Owen Ragsdale, with substantial additions and alterations in the late 18th century, 1833, 1840, and the late 19th century. The building is primarily of coursed ironstone rubble, with limestone dressings and stone slate roofs. Quoins, coped gables, and grouped ridge and gable stacks are prominent features.

The overall arrangement comprises a residential range to the south, a linked laundry block, and a northern entrance range, all enclosing a square courtyard. The south range has a symmetrical front with a central Tudor arched doorway, flanked by projecting blank gabled bays and eight two-light stone mullioned windows. Above are nine similar windows, and above that, a central dormer with a mullioned window, flanked by windows in the gables. The north side features a central doorway above which is a slate tablet bearing a verse inscription, signed and dated 1721, surmounted by a crest. Flanking this doorway are single mullioned windows, with further mullioned windows above and a gabled dormer containing a crested datestone inscribed '1593'. Stair turrets are located on either side of the north range; each has a Tudor arched doorway and mullioned casements, connected to a 1833 addition, which has two stone mullioned windows on each of its three floors, beneath a boarded-in queen post roof truss. The stair turrets contain stone winder stairs with landings; the eastern stair has a cupboard containing a chained bible. A further oak winder stair gives access to an attic which in turn leads to the first-floor cell.

Internally, most rooms feature beaded plank oak doors and stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops. A late 16th-century turned oak balustrade is found on the western top landing. The single-storey, L-plan laundry, with matching style, has mullioned windows, a paired ridge stack and an ogee-topped roof vent. A single-bay mortuary extends to the north. The northern entrance features a central Tudor arched doorway dated 1593, with a stepped gable, ball finials, and a frieze inscribed on the north side 'Jesus Hospital', and a crest on the south side.

To the west stands the Warden's House, built in the late 18th century, exhibiting a plinth, first-floor band and coped gables, with two 19th-century brick stacks. Its symmetrical south front has a central 19th-century four-panelled door with overlight, flanked by single 10/10 sash windows. The west gable has two 20th-century windows in the garret. To the east is the Matron’s Cottage of 1840, featuring a coped gable and two stone gable stacks, the eastern one shared with the adjacent Home Farmhouse. Its south front has an off-centre six-panelled door with a blank overlight, flanked by casements and a single casement to the right. A datestone inscribed '1840' is positioned above the door. All windows have flat arches, and the west gable has a central iron-framed leaded casement on each floor. Jesus Hospital was originally established to provide almshouses for 26 men.