“They must be of honest life and conversation, religious, grave and discreet, able to read, if such a one be had, a single woman, her place to be void on marriage, to be of 56 years at least, no common beggar, harlot, scold, drunkard, haunter of taverns, inns and alehouses.” These are the original qualifications for admittance for Trinity Hospital, Castle Rising; the beautiful cloistered early 17th Century brick building and almshouse charity founded by Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton who died in 1614.
Residents of Trinity Hospital were asked to go to prayers three times each day to say the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed and a prayer ordered by the Founder for himself and his noble family. Fast-forward to the present day and the criteria of this almshouse charity is not quite as strict. The only qualifying requirement is for single women from parishes of Castle Rising, North Wootton and Roydon who are in reduced financial circumstances. There’s no dress code these days either, yet the residents take great pride in dressing in the “uniform” provided by the Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton for special occasions such as Founder’s Day.