237:, which were then also in a very poor condition, and constructing communal facilities in a modern shared block. This was eventually agreed and, in 1973, the Wright's Almshouses charity merged with the charities administering the Crewe Almshouses and the Delves and Meakin Almshouses on Love Lane, as well as the Harriet Hope Charity, to form the "Almshouse Charities of Sir Edmund Wright, Crewe and Others". An area of 1032 square yards of derelict gardens to the rear of the Crewe Almshouses was purchased, and in 1973–75, the Wright's Almshouses building was dismantled and reconstructed on this plot, using new and recovered building materials. The cost of moving the building and its gateway was estimated at £16,700. A further estimated £6,300 was spent on building single-storey extensions at the rear of the terrace. The complex was formally opened on 1 December 1975 by
197:, and also received a shirt and a pair of shoes and stockings every Christmas, and a gown (and later also a hat) every two years (every three years from 1771). Numerous rules governed the behaviour of the charity recipients, and fines, suspension or even expulsion for infractions are all recorded. Twice-daily prayers and (for the able bodied), regular attendance at church services were required, while the rules prohibited marriage, "swearing, Drunkenness, and all such scandalous Vices" and keeping "any Woman as an Harlot". An annual inspection took place on 24 November, the anniversary of Wright's baptism, followed by a feast. By 1883, 197 men had been almsmen, of whom fifteen were named Wright. Several instances of married almsmen are recorded, but this was prohibited in 1717–18.
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calls it the "best" feature of the almshouses. It was originally painted and gilded. The archway is surrounded by a low red-brick wall with a stone coping. A modern commemorative tablet in the wall to the left of the archway records the amalgamation of the almshouse charities; it was dedicated on 24
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In 1800, a female caretaker was appointed who lived in one of the houses and looked after the almsmen. As the charity's endowment was fixed at £32, the pension did not increase from the original 20 shillings quarterly, except in being supplemented with a weekly sixpenny loaf from 1795. By the early
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The almshouses were "for the use and benefit of six poor men". Recipients were required to be single men of at least 50 years, unable to make a living by labour, who had been born in
Nantwich and had also been resident in the town for at least the previous three years; they were further required to
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and, by the early 1960s, the Wright's
Almshouses had become dilapidated. The site was then surrounded by the premises of a garage. In 1969, the charity trustees proposed to demolish the building and sell the land. In 1970, a novel plan was proposed which involved moving the Wright's Almshouses to
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The almshouses were administered by a group of thirteen trustees appointed by Wright; the original trustees included several members of the Wright family, representatives of other prominent
Nantwich families including the Maistersons, Wilbrahams and Churches, and the minister of
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By the 1960s, the Wright's
Almshouses were in a poor condition, and the building was threatened with demolition. The almshouses were saved by a plan which involved moving the building, together with its wall and gateway, from London Road to stand adjacent to the
205:. Whenever eight of the thirteen trustees had died, the surviving trustees were to elect another eight men to replace them. As with the almsmen, men related to Wright or bearing that surname were to be preferred. Later trustees included local architect,
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in 1640–41. The deed of 20 August 1638 establishing the almshouses stated that they were founded "out of his pious intention and charitable disposition towards the poor inhabitants of Wich
Malbank". They were originally located at the far end of
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notes that the Wright family did not have the right to bear these arms. The inscription, now partly illegible, is recorded by Hall as "S Edmund Wright Kt. borne in this towne sole founder of this almeshouse a'no dom. 1638."
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at the end of Beam Street, and constructing modern facilities shared by both former almshouses. The new complex was completed in 1975, and Wright's
Almshouses remain in use as sheltered housing for the elderly.
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and the start of London Road on land that had once been associated with the
Hospice of St Nicholas. Wright also donated the land behind the building, and £32 annually in rent from the Ryefields farm in
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The Wright's
Almshouses remain in use as sheltered housing for the elderly. They are now administered by a joint body of trustees for all the surviving Nantwich almshouses, together with the adjacent
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on Mill Street, dating from the early 17th century (both of which have now been demolished). Local historian Jeremy Lake considers that the use of brick was an expression of wealth of the patron.
225:, while others "died in great poverty and neglect". A gift from William Sprout in 1829 increased the pension to £10 annually, improving the standard of living from the original foundation.
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and "of good honest behaviour and conversation". Men with the surname of Wright were preferred for the positions. In addition to accommodation, each man was given a quarterly pension of 20
209:. In 1666–68, a stone gateway and an inscribed tablet with a coat of arms were added by the trustees at a total cost of just over £4, paid for by keeping some of the houses vacant.
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Wright's
Almshouses is a terrace of six cottages with two low storeys, in red brick with sandstone dressings under a tiled roof. The ends of the terrace have stone long and short
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describes as the "best" feature of the almshouses, is also listed separately at grade II*, together with its associated wall.
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The terrace bears a central stone panel with the arms of the
Bulkeley family, including three bulls' heads; local historian
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The use of brick other than for chimneys was very unusual in Nantwich at this date. Other brick buildings include
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A History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich, or Wich Malbank, in the County Palatine of Chester
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Victorian engraving of the gateway, with almsman William Bramhall in the traditional dress
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19th century, it proved entirely inadequate; some pensioners left the almshouses for the
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between ground and first floors. The roof has three large brick chimney stacks.
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163:). Born in Nantwich, Wright became a successful London merchant, serving as an
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ends, which is finished with a ball decoration. All the windows have stone
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448:"Forecourt wall and gateway of Wright's Almshouses, Nantwich (1320247)"
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Grade II* listed building in Nantwich, Cheshire, UK
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233:stand at the end of Beam Street adjacent to the
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147:The Wright's Almshouses were built in 1638 by
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410:"Wright's Almshouses, Nantwich (1039555)"
245:was extended to include the entire site.
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376:List of almshouses in the United Kingdom
320:above the arch is topped with coping in
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308:The arched stone gateway is flanked by
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216:Detail of terrace showing stone panel
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647:The Buildings of England: Cheshire
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619:(2nd edn) (E. J. Morten; 1972) (
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228:Maintenance suffered during the
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733:1638 establishments in England
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482:Pevsner & Hubbard, p. 289
345:and Harriet Hope Almshouses.
114:in 1640–41, and is listed at
24:Wright's Almshouses, Nantwich
371:Listed buildings in Nantwich
92:now located on Beam Street (
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728:Grade II* listed almshouses
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110:(later Sir Edmund Wright),
88:is a terrace of six former
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634:(Shiva Publishing; 1983) (
632:The Great Fire of Nantwich
575:Blacklay, pp. 14–23, 25–32
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612:(A4 Media Services; 1995)
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649:(Penguin Books; 1971) (
713:Almshouses in Nantwich
645:Pevsner N, Hubbard E.
610:Almshouses of Nantwich
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169:Lord Mayor of London
112:Lord Mayor of London
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559:Blacklay, pp. 11–13
312:columns resting on
277:. There is a stone
161:Sir Roger Wilbraham
159:founded in 1613 by
86:Wright's Almshouses
42:General information
679:53.0688°N 2.5170°W
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239:Princess Alexandra
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189:be members of the
157:those on Welsh Row
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243:conservation area
191:Church of England
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235:Crewe Almshouses
230:Second World War
203:St Mary's Church
128:Crewe Almshouses
120:Nikolaus Pevsner
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419:. Retrieved
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337:Modern usage
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207:Thomas Bower
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167:and then as
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587:Lake, p. 98
318:entablature
249:Description
697:Categories
667:53°04′08″N
603:References
286:James Hall
179:Hillingdon
153:almshouses
90:almshouses
670:2°31′01″W
459:11 August
421:11 August
314:pedestals
223:workhouse
195:shillings
183:Middlesex
116:grade II*
630:Lake J.
615:Hall J.
349:See also
322:Jacobean
275:mullions
165:alderman
104:Cheshire
100:Nantwich
95:SJ654525
55:Cheshire
51:Nantwich
47:Location
330:Pevsner
324:style.
304:Gateway
269:to the
155:(after
135:History
64:England
61:Country
653:
638:
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310:Tuscan
267:coping
263:quoins
69:Height
382:Notes
343:Crewe
271:gable
98:) in
651:ISBN
636:ISBN
621:ISBN
461:2012
423:2012
699::
580:^
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389:^
185:.
181:,
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
