1795 - Squires Almshouses - Vestry Road, London, UK - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

The inscription, on the pediment at the middle of the building, reads:

These houses are
erected and endowed
for ever
by Mrs Mary Squires widow
for the use of
six decayed trademen's widows
of this parish and no other
Ano Domi 1795

The almshouses are Grade II listed with the entry at the Historic England website telling us:

Almshouses. Dated 1795. Stock brick some red dressings. Hipped slate roof. 1 storey. Symmetrical composition of 12 bays comprising 6 windows and 6 doors. Broad pediment to advanced central bays. Segmental headed windows and doors. Bracketed stone hoods to doorways; doors renewed. Casement windows. Oval panel to pediment inscribed "These houses erected and endowed for ever by Mrs Mary Squires widow, for the use of six decayed trademen's widows of this parish and no other. Anno Dom 1795'.

The London Gardens Online website also tells us:

Squires Almshouses were founded in 1795 by Mrs Mary Squires to accommodate six widows of Walthamstow residents. The simple garden has mature trees, shrubs with mixed shrubs and perennials in a long bed at the front. The area at the back retains the original idea of private gardens.

The almshouses were founded in 1795 by Mrs Mary Squires to accommodate six widows of Walthamstow residents and are in Walthamstow village, which maintains its C18th and C19th village atmosphere with the church, Vestry House, and Tudor House. An inscription above the almshouses records that they were 'erected and endowed for ever . . . for the use of six decayed tradesmen's widows of this parish'. In 1975 the rear extensions were reconstructed to modernise the kitchens and provide indoor bathrooms. They were completely renovated in 1995 and although the six front doors are still visible the accommodation is now only for four residents. The original York stone path runs the length of the front of the buildings; planting includes mature trees, shrubs with mixed shrubs and perennials in a long bed at the front. At one time there were pollarded trees to the front. The area at the back retains the original idea of private gardens; there used to be six dwellings but since recent restoration there are now only four, maintained by the residents. The original privies have been converted into garden sheds. Grass is cut by the charity. At the front is a white picket fence with breeze block wall topped with iron railings at the back. A small wooden gate is at one side set in the brick walls at the side.

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