Opposite the church of St Mary at the Elms is a pleasant red-brick building housing eight well-appointed one-bedroomed flats and hiding a lovely sunny garden enjoyed by the flats’ occupants.
In 1720, Mrs Ann Smith, a widow of London, left £5,000 to be used for the benefit of ‘twelve poor Women, of honest Life and Conversation, of the Age of fifty Years and upwards, being Communicants of the Church of England as by Law Established’.
The incumbent and churchwardens of St Mary at the Elms are the trustees. The present Alms Houses, built in 1760, were refurbished in 2001. A celebration to mark the 250th anniversary of their foundation was held on Sunday June 27th, 2010.
Vacancies occur from time to time, and anyone interested in occupancy of one of these reasonably priced, town-centre flats should make themselves known to the trustees via this link.
The criteria quoted above, although still relevant, are not as strictly adhered to today…
Registered Charity No: 213747