Case Study: Watkinson Almshouses roof restoration

When almshouse charities face major repair costs or seek to expand provision for people in need, financial support can make the difference between decline and sustainability. As part of its member services, The Almshouse Association provides grants and loans to help charities struggling with funds to maintain and develop their housing.

The Watkinson Almshouses in West Yorkshire recently benefited from this support, receiving a £25,000 loan to help fund the re-roofing of their four almshouse bungalows – essential works that would not have been possible without external assistance.

Historical Background

The four almshouses were built and endowed in the early 20th century by Emma Watkinson (1850–1923). Emma established the almshouses in memory of her parents, George and Jane Watkinson.

George Watkinson and his family were wool staplers, playing a key role in the regional textile economy by collecting and sorting fleeces and supplying raw materials to worsted manufacturers, carpet weavers, and knitting wool producers. Jane’s family were maltsters, supplying malt to local brewers. Together, the Watkinson family were part of the industrial success that shaped their community in the 19th century.

Despite the wealth generated in the region, Emma recognised that many hardworking individuals struggled to provide for themselves in old age. In response, she founded the almshouses to offer free accommodation, equipped with the modern conveniences of the time, for:

• Former employees of the Watkinson family
• Their descendants
• Others from the local parish in need

Financial evolution and challenges

In the early 20th century, the almshouses were generously endowed. Each resident even received an annual allowance of £4.20 to assist with nursing costs – a significant sum at the time (equivalent to approximately £500 today, given that £1 from that era equates to roughly £120 today).

However, as decades passed:

• Maintenance costs increased
• Building standards evolved
• The value of the original endowment diminished

Eventually, the endowment was exhausted. To ensure long-term sustainability, the Trust deed was amended to allow residents to make modest contributions toward maintenance costs.

Throughout this period, the Watkinson family has continued to oversee and care for the almshouses, maintaining Emma’s founding principles of community support and dignity in later life.

The Challenge: Essential roof replacement

By 2025, the roofs of all four bungalows required urgent replacement.

The scale and cost of the works placed significant strain on the Charity’s limited reserves. Without intervention, the condition of the buildings and the comfort and safety of residents would have been at risk.

The Solution: Almshouse Association loan support

The Almshouse Association stepped in with a £25,000 loan, enabling the Charity to proceed with the full re-roofing project.

This funding:

• Protected the structural integrity of all four properties
• Safeguarded residents from water ingress and future deterioration
• Preserved the long-term viability of the almshouses
• Ensured continued provision of quality homes for current and future beneficiaries

Impact

Thanks to The Almshouse Association’s support:

• The four almshouses now have secure, weatherproof roofs
• Residents continue to live in safe and comfortable homes
• Emma Watkinson’s original charitable vision remains alive more than a century later

This case demonstrates how targeted financial support from the Association enables small almshouse charities to address critical capital works, sustain historic housing, and continue serving vulnerable members of their communities.

Conclusion

The Watkinson Almshouses are a powerful example of enduring philanthropy. While the financial landscape has changed dramatically since the early 1900s, the underlying need for secure, affordable housing remains constant.

Through partnership with The Almshouse Association, Emma Watkinson’s legacy continues, ensuring that those she intended to help still have a safe place to call home, over 100 years on.

The loan from The Almshouse Association was crucial in enabling the Charity to restore the roofs of their almshouses and continue their provision of affordable housing in the local area for people in housing need.

We would like to thank all the people and organisations who so kindly donate to The Almshouse Association and leave gifts in their Wills. Without their generosity, we would not be in a position to help support almshouse charities with their renovations and new builds.

The Almshouse Association awards loans and grants to our member charities every year. In 2025, £1,198,500 was approved in new loans and grants totalled £50,000. Charities pay no interest on the loans, just a small administration fee. As they make repayments on the loans over a ten-year period, the Association can continue to offer loans to charities year after year, meaning that your donations continue to support almshouses and their residents in perpetuity.

If you are interested in making a donation to The Almshouse Association or leaving a gift in your Will, please do visit our Support Us pages here.

posted February 2026

CASE STUDY: The Charity of Sir Thomas and Lady Kytson

If a charity does not have sufficient funds to carry out necessary works to their almshouses or support their plan to provide more almshouses for people in need in their area, part of the service The Almshouse Association offers its member charities is financial help in the form of grants and loans.

The Almshouse Association provided the Charity of Sir Thomas and Lady Kytson in Suffolk with a £25,000 grant and £29,000 loan to support the thermal upgrade and general renovation of their three almshouses covering external doors, chimneys/fireplaces, roof void insulation, lime rendering walls, timber frame repairs, electrics, plumbing and thatching.

The Charity writes:

“Twenty years ago the Guildhall Feoffment took over administration of three charming, thatched cottages which formed part of the Tudor estate of Hengrave Hall and had been dedicated as almshouses some time probably in the 19^th century.

Our Kytson Cottages, each around 350 years old, combine historic charm with the welcome and security of traditional almshouses. A recent programme of sensitive renovation has ensured that the cottages remain not only beautiful, but warm, healthy and fit for the future.

The work at Kytson Cottages has achieved our goals of careful conservation, use of traditional skills and modern technology, and will now secure the future of our historic homes for generations to come.“

Background

Kytson Cottages relied on electric storage heaters supplemented by open fires. With thin doors, no wall insulation and one chimney in poor condition (leading to two condemned fireplaces), residents regularly reported being cold in winter despite high energy bills.

Scope of Works

The Property Committee commissioned a survey to identify ways to improve thermal efficiency and provide warmer, more comfortable homes. Carter Jonas recommended:

• Doors: Replacement with insulated, better-fitting doors
• Wall Insulation: Installation of insulation panels
• Fireplaces: Renovation and installation of stoves, including chimney adjustments
• Exterior: Removal of concrete render, application of lime render and pargetting
• Electrical: Installation of high-heat-retention (HHR) radiators and optical smoke/CO₂ detectors
• Plumbing: Removal of cold-water tanks and installation of pressurised cylinders
• Thatch: Ridge renewal planned in ~3 years

The Committee prioritised urgent works first, deferring the thatch and plumbing works for a later date. EPC modelling shows the cottages achieving a “C” rating once all the radiators are upgraded.

Listed building consent

Thurlow Architects submitted a Listed Building application, which was granted on 8 May 2025, with conditions relating to the fireplaces and pargetting.

Project approach and costs

To maximise value, individual contractors were engaged rather than adopting a turnkey solution, with Guildhall Feoffment coordinating logistics, site facilities, and health & safety. Feoffee and builder, Graham Mothersole was an invaluable source of expertise and information, providing essential guidance and contacts.

Where possible the Charity specified sustainable and natural building materials and invested in local craftspeople to provide bespoke fittings and finishes, which have preserved and enhanced the integrity of the buildings in their prominent village setting.

Estimated cost: £120,000 (or £100,000 excluding the plumbing and thatching). Pellet stoves were chosen over wood-burning stoves for safety, sustainability, and convenience.

Funding

As at 31 December 2024, Kytson Trust had available funds of circa. £70,000 (£53,000 investments, £16,000 cash) and with annual outgoings of around £15,000, this left a funding shortfall of £55,000.

Funding solutions:

• Grant of £25,000 from The Almshouse Association
• Interest-free loan of £29,000 from The Almshouse Association
• £40,000 of Kytson Trust investments realised

Completed works (by end of 2025)

• Electrical: All the internal works including new radiators, optical heat, smoke and CO₂ detectors (fully certified)
• Plastering & Insulation: Concrete render removed; lambswool and Hereklith insulation installed; lime render and pargetting completed with Heritage Officer approval

• Doors: Seven new insulated doors installed
• Fireplaces: Wood pellet stoves installed, fireplaces renovated and new hearths added.

The final cost slightly exceeded estimates by £4,000, largely due to heritage-related plastering requirements and additional insulation. Savings were made with the hearths which were donated by Mothersole Buildings and Opulence Stoves agreed to ‘donate’ the additional work required in reinstating the fireplaces.

Future work & funding

Kytson Trust reserves will be around £30,000 – 40,000 post-project. Further works (thatch and plumbing) will require rebuilding reserves through WMC increases and/or fundraising. The Almshouse Association recommended reviewing WMC levels in 2026, based on Valuation Office guidance.

Residents’ feedback

Residents are delighted with their warm, comfortable homes and take pride in the improved appearance of the cottages.

The grant and loan from The Almshouse Association was crucial in enabling the Charity to make essential repairs and improvements to ensure they continue to provide affordable housing in the local area for people in housing need.

We would like to thank all the people and organisations who so kindly donate to The Almshouse Association and leave gifts in their Wills. Without their generosity, we would not be in a position to help support almshouse charities with their renovations and new builds.

The Almshouse Association awards loans and grants to our member charities every year. In 2025, £1,198,500 was approved in new loans and grants totalled £50,000. Charities pay no interest on the loans, just a small administration fee. As they make repayments on the loans over a ten-year period, the Association can continue to offer loans to charities year after year, meaning that your donations continue to support almshouses and their residents in perpetuity.

If you are interested in making a donation to The Almshouse Association or leaving a gift in your Will, please do visit our Support Us pages here.

posted February 2026

Case Study: Thomas Fryer Almshouse Charity makes strategic changes to ensure they continue to effectively serve the community.

If a charity does not have sufficient funds to carry out necessary works to their almshouses or support their plan to provide more almshouses for people in need in their area, part of the service The Almshouse Association offers its member charities is financial help in the form of grants and loans.

In 2025, The Almshouse Association provided the Thomas Fryer Almshouses with a loan of £65,000 to support the purchase of No. 22 John Street in Oakham, Rutland.

Background

The Thomas Fryer Almshouses charity was established following the death of Thomas Fryer, a wealthy landowner whose family had lived in Rutland for generations. Through his Will, Thomas Fryer endowed two cottages to provide almshouse accommodation for his housekeeper and for local residents of Rutland who were “aged and infirm” and would otherwise have faced the prospect of ending their days in the Union Workhouse.

From the outset, the charity was rooted in strong local governance. Occupancy was originally restricted to residents of the villages of Manton and Hambleton, with trustees appointed from both villages alongside additional co-opted trustees, often from the church. The first formal meeting to administer the Trust was held in 1917, with records still surviving today.

Changing circumstances and strategic adaptation

Despite its strong foundations, the condition of the original cottages caused concern from an early stage, with maintenance costs proving difficult to manage. In 1978, an architect’s estimate for essential repairs was unaffordable. As a result, the trustees took the strategic decision to sell the original cottages and replace them with purpose-built semi-detached bungalows within the grounds. These new homes were formally opened in 1981 and have been continuously occupied since.

Over time, further changes in the local population led trustees to reconsider how best to meet need. The creation of Rutland Water in the mid-1970s had a significant impact on the area, reducing the number of local residents likely to require almshouse accommodation. The villages of Manton and Hambleton also lacked essential amenities for older residents.

Following discussions with the Charity Commission, a new scheme was agreed in 1991. This extended the charity’s beneficiary area to cover the whole of Rutland and allowed the trustees to build or acquire almshouses anywhere within the county for people who were “old and infirm”.

Expanding the almshouse portfolio

With Charity Commission agreement, surplus income was invested with the aim of acquiring additional almshouse properties better suited to residents’ needs. Oakham, Rutland’s county town, was identified as a more appropriate location, offering improved access to transport, healthcare and shops.

Over time, five properties were added to the Trust’s portfolio in Oakham, with both original properties sold to help fund these acquisitions.

Support from The Almshouse Association

In October 2025, the charity purchased No. 22 John Street, a two-bedroom house built in the early 1970s, for £190,000. The acquisition was made possible with the support of a £65,000 loan from The Almshouse Association, repayable over a ten-year period.

The property is in good condition, with low anticipated maintenance costs. The weekly maintenance contribution (WMC) is set at £470 every four weeks, ensuring affordability for the resident while supporting the charity’s long-term sustainability.

Impact

The purchase of No. 22 John Street has had an immediate and tangible benefit. The Trust’s remaining resident from Manton has now relocated to the Oakham property and is benefiting from significantly improved access to public transport, medical services and local shopping facilities.

Conclusion

The loan from The Almshouse Association enabled the Thomas Fryer Almshouses trustees to act decisively, securing a well-located and suitable home that meets modern needs while remaining financially sustainable. This support has allowed the charity to continue fulfilling its original purpose — providing safe, affordable housing for older people in Rutland — while adapting to changing demographics and circumstances.

The loan from The Almshouse Association was crucial in enabling the Charity to expand their provision of affordable housing in the local area for people in housing need.

We would like to thank all the people and organisations who so kindly donate to The Almshouse Association and leave gifts in their Wills. Without their generosity, we would not be in a position to help support almshouse charities with their renovations and new builds.

The Almshouse Association awards loans and grants to our member charities every year. In 2025, £1,198,500 was approved in new loans and grants totalled £50,000. Charities pay no interest on the loans, just a small administration fee. As they make repayments on the loans over a ten-year period, the Association can continue to offer loans to charities year after year, meaning that your donations continue to support almshouses and their residents in perpetuity.

If you are interested in making a donation to The Almshouse Association or leaving a gift in your Will, please do visit our Support Us pages here.

posted 8 January 2026

CASE STUDY: Almshouse of St John the Baptist and St John the Evangalist, Sherborne

St Johns’ House is a historic almshouse in Sherborne, Dorset, providing affordable accommodation to people in need. Founded in 1448 and housed in a Grade I listed building, it has served its community for nearly six centuries.

Repair and maintenance challenges

With the closure came a sharp fall in income just as urgent repairs were needed. The charity lacked the funds to carry out essential work on the leaded windows, a leaking roof and a faulty shower causing health and safety risks. Additionally, St Johns’ House aimed to convert the former matron’s flat into new accommodation but couldn’t afford a kitchen installation.

In this precarious position, the trustees approached The Almshouse Association for support.

Use of The Almshouse Association loan

The Almshouse Association awarded St Johns’ House a loan of £27,654, which enabled the charity to address crucial building works:

• Urgent repairs to the leaded windows of the main almshouse
• Installation of a fitted kitchen in the former matron’s flat
• Urgent repairs to the main roof
• Installation of a new shower in adjacent accommodation

The flexible repayment terms meant the arrangement was manageable for the charity, providing breathing space to secure its future. Thanks to the loan, St Johns’ House went into winter knowing the building was safe, weather-tight, and suitable for re-occupation.

From survival to growth

While the loan in 2024 helped stabilise the almshouse, an extraordinary development in late 2025 transformed the charity’s prospects. The trustees discovered that a 15th-century triptych held in the almshouse was an exceptionally valuable piece of Flemish art. After expert appraisal and auctioning at Sotheby’s in December 2025, the artwork sold for over £5 million, far exceeding early estimates.

These funds will be used to secure the almshouse charity’s mission for the long term, including plans to build six new self-contained homes for people in need in Sherborne, a major expansion of the charity’s capacity.

Impact

The combination of early support from The Almshouse Association and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has changed the trajectory of St Johns’ House:

✅ Immediate risk of decline alleviated: essential repairs completed and building secured
✅ Accommodation restored: former matron’s flat converted and more usable space refurbished
✅ Long-term future enabled: sale proceeds now funding new homes and sustainability

Next chapter

St Johns’ House was once close to being unable to repair its historic buildings and resume operations with its future uncertain when it sought support in 2024. Thanks to targeted financial help from The Almshouse Association and the exceptional later discovery and sale of a historic artwork, the charity is now positioned not just to survive, but to grow and continue serving its community for decades to come.

posted 18 December 2025