What is an almshouse?
We have a real passion for residential architecture in London, including the various forms of homes and housing. It makes us the ideal people to work with if you want to design the perfect high end home. What we want to do today though is look at almshouses in light of the 2025 RIBA Stirling Prize going to Appleby Blue Almshouse. Britain's best new building is a wonderful example of what is possible with modern social housing. It got praise for the ambitious design, focus on tackling loneliness, and making resident wellbeing the focus.
What is an almshouse?
Almshouses are one of the oldest examples of social housing. The idea dates back to the medieval period. At the time religious orders would provide sanctuary for the sick, poor, or travellers in hospitals or bede houses. The dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century sadly meant many were sold or abandoned.
While the religious element was gone from many almshouses, the idea still persisted. Craft guilds and benefactors began establishing them to care for elderly members of communities. Later in the Victorian and Georgian period, they became even more popular in urban areas as populations grew and conditions in other types of housing became worrisome.
The whole idea of an almshouse is a charity will provide low cost residential units for beneficiaries. Generally to qualify for housing people need to be local and low income. Interestingly, there can be charities focusing on specific groups, such as former miners, fishermen, veterans, and key workers.
Significant properties
From an architectural perspective, almshouses are really important. Many of them are in significant historical buildings with original features. As a result, lots of them have listings or other protections. The charities that manage them invest in retaining them to preserve the history and keep serving beneficiaries. Whether you love residential architecture in London or other parts of the UK, they are wonderful pieces of our heritage.
One of the most interesting things about many almshouses is the focus on community, safety, and security. Most of them are laid out in a traditional pattern, with properties on three sides of a square and open green space in the middle. The goal was to bring people together, building friendships with neighbours. This idea is even more important today to prevent loneliness and isolation.
While you may not know it, there are over 1,600 charities with almshouses in the UK. Collectively they provide housing for over 36,000 people. Many of the older properties have had modern upgrades and restorations while retaining the incredible original features. We also see the construction of new ones occasionally too, like Appleby Blue Almshouse.
Talk to us about residential architecture in London
Designing your perfect home is a real joy with Coffey Residential. Our goal is to create wonderful properties that will be a pleasure to live in. At the same time, we can look at crucial things like the environment and sustainability. We'll ensure you have a property that will be as good in the future as it is today.
So, get in touch with us if you want to discuss residential architecture in London. You can also learn more about what we do by browsing our website; we recommend a look at our portfolio.