1880 - Knight Almshouses - King Street, Cambridge, UK
N 52° 12.451 E 000° 07.583
31U E 303658 N 5788011
These almshouses, dated 1880, are located on the north west side of King Street in Cambridge. These almsahouses replaced the early 17th century ones located opposite Midsummer Common.
Waymark Code: WMQP3D
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/11/2016
Views: 1
The year, 1880, is carved into a stone block set into the brickwork above the central doorway. There are two slate plaques set into the wall of the building one on either side of the centre doorway. The plaque on the left tells us:
Copy of tablet taken from Old Almshouses
opposite Midsummer Common.
Elizabeth Knight late of
Denney Abbey by her last
will dated 18th of May AD
1647 and recorded in the
Prerogative Court of
Canterbury did not only
give these 6 houses with
18L per annum to be
equally divided amongst
those that shall inhabit
them but also 160L to
the Corporation of
Cambridge to be lent
gratis to eight young
tradesmen according
to her said will.
These almshouses having
fallen into decay were
repaired and improved by
donations of 500L and 200L
from Alderman William
Mortlock of Cambridge.
The plaque to the right of the doorway is inscribed:
These six almshouses
were built in 1880 (to
replace the six old and
decayed houses opposite
Midsummer Common)
by the Trustees of
the Borough Charities
out of the funds and
upon the estate of
Knight and Mortlock's
Charity.
R R Rowe 1824 - 1899
Architect
The almshouses were
rehabilitated in 1982
by the Trustees of
Cambridge
United Charities
under the Chairmanship
of
The Baroness David
The British History website tells us:
Knight and Mortlock's almshouses were founded by will of Elizabeth Knight (proved 1647). Legacies from Elizabeth Knight's kinsmen increased the stipends of the two widows and four spinsters who were inmates. The almshouses were rebuilt in 1818 by Alderman William Mortlock who also, apparently, looked after the charity generally and prevailed on the Corporation as trustees to administer it in accordance with the trusts. Between 1880 and 1883 the charity property at the corner of Jesus Lane and King Street was rebuilt and the almshouses were moved from the Jesus Lane to the King Street side. These almshouses, together with those of St. Anthony and St. Eligius, are now managed by the Municipal Charities, and in 1951 the inmates of both received £156 3s. 11d. altogether, which came partly from the funds of other charities managed by the same trustees.
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