[Picture: Drapers’ Almshouses]
The generally received opinion has been that these almshouses were
founded, in 1461, by Degory Watur, Draper, from the circumstance that he
lived himself in the centre house, or “almshouse hall,” among the poor
people, and whose practice (as a Manuscript Chronicle records) was to
attend them “dailye to our Lady’s Chirch, and to kneel with them in a
long pew in the quire made for them and himself.”
The ancient records, however, of the Drapers’ Company show that a
building and endowment of almshouses by that company for poor people
existed long previous to the foundation attributed to Degory Watur, who
seems to have been only the founder in so far as their re-erection took
place, under his management, during his wardenship or stewardship of the
company, of which he was a member.
The old almshouses extended along the whole of the west side of St.
Mary’s church-yard: and, being much dilapidated and very incommodious
dwellings, they were taken down in 1825. The present building, completed
in the above year, from a design by Mr. J. Carline, now consists of
eighteen comfortable habitations, of two chambers each; the front is in
the old English style of architecture, having in the centre a gateway
within an embattled tower; in the centre of the latter are the armorial
bearings of the Drapers’ Company, with the motto “Unto God only be honour
and glory.”
This re-edification, including the purchase of the land, cost the
Drapers’ Company upwards of £3000, from whose funds each of the poor
people receive annually about six pounds.