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Summary

Almshouses, early 16th century, with chapel attached. Substantially restored after a fire in the early 18th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1384842: GREENWAYS ALMSHOUSES AND CHAPEL

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS91SE/46
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 485301

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ALMSHOUSE (XVI - 1505 AD to 1529 AD)

Full description

Unattributed Sites and Monuments Register Entry (Unattributed Sites and Monuments Register Entry). SDV263.

Note discrepancy over foundation date. Some authorities believe 1505-1517, and others 1529.

English Heritage, 11/03/2015, Greenway's Almshouses, John Greenway Close, Tiverton (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV357933.

English Heritage have amended the list description to Greenways Almhouses and Chapel, Gold Street (for chapel see MDV127233).
Almshouses and chapel founded by local merchant John Greenway in the early C16, with the capacity to house five men; the almshouse block was partially rebuilt in 1731 following a fire, and again in the C19, and later converted for use as offices.
Reasons for Designation
Greenway’s Almshouse and attached chapel is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest: it is elaborately decorated with high-quality dressed-stone detailing, including intricately carved parapets and tracery windows, that contrast well with the local purple rubble stone;
Historic interest: it was founded by John Greenway a locally and nationally prominent wool merchant who was one of a number of wealthy philanthropists that built similar establishments within the town;
Legibility: despite the internal alterations to the almshouse, the juxtaposition of the former accommodation range and the chapel still clearly demonstrates the buildings charitable and religious origins;
Group value: it has group value with the other listed buildings that form Greenway’s Almshouses including the mid-C19 blocks to the rear (Grade II), and the converted former C19 workshop (Grade II).
History
John Greenway (circa 1460 -1529) was a Tiverton merchant who exported West Country cloth to Europe and was a member of the Drapers’ Company and the Merchant Ventures’ Company in London. A progressive employer, in the early C16 he financed the construction of a set of almshouses and adjoining chapel in Tiverton. Most sources state that it was founded in to 1529, the year that Greenway died, however, others suggest it was in 1517. Each occupant had two rooms and a garden, and received eight pence a week. In return they were expected to pray daily in the chapel for the souls of John Greenway and his wife, Joan: an inscription instructing this practice can still be seen on the chapel. The chapel porch appears to have been reduced in size, possibly when the level of Gold Street was raised. After a fire in 1731 a large part of the almshouse was rebuilt. This includes an external rear timber gallery which was rebuilt in brick. The C16 chapel was also reputed to have suffered some damage in the fire and is understood to have been subject to some redecoration between 1783 and 84. Further alterations were made to the almshouse in the C19, at which point it is likely the external gallery was enclosed and rebuilt in stone to form nine single rooms over three floors. The almshouse was later converted to office use. The chapel stone work has recently been repaired (2014).
MATERIALS: local sandstone rubble with stone dressing, a slate roof and, over the chapel, crested ridge
tiles.
PLAN: the single-cell chapel is attached to west end of the almshouse block (with a central rear cross-wing) all fronting directly onto Gold Street.
ALMSHOUSE EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and half basement. Asymmetrical 3-window front with pretty cast-iron crested gutter, stamped with flowers, held on fancy cast-iron brackets. Hollow-chamfered Tudor arched doorway to left has hoodmould. C19 2-light stone mullioned windows have moulded mullions
except ground floor left which has Tudor-arched lights in a square frame with carved spandrels. All windows glazed with diamond leaded panes. 3 blind gables over the 3 second-floor windows have fancy bargeboards with pendants. Two statue niches in the wall have Ham Hill nodding ogee arches containing statues of St Peter to the left and possibly medieval figure to the right. The rear elevation is roughcast with C20 iron-framed casement windows and a truncated stack.
ALMSHOUSE INTERIOR: not inspected.
HISTORY: Dunsford, writing in 1790, reports a gallery in front of the houses "which shelters the dwellings and serves for walking exercise in bad weather". This gallery, which may have been to the rear of the front block, was rebuilt in brick after the fire of 1731. The chapel also reputed to have been
damaged by the fire and ornamented in 1783 and 1784. (Dunsford: Historical Memoirs of the Town and Parish of Tiverton: 1790-: P.336).

Dunsford, M., 1790, Historical Memoirs of the Town and Parish of Tiverton (Monograph). SDV345501.

Polwhele, R., 1793-1806, The History of Devonshire, 353 (Monograph). SDV21030.

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica. Devonshire, 517 (Monograph). SDV323771.

Harding, W., 1847, History of Tiverton (Monograph). SDV348954.

Greenway's Almshouses, or Eastern Almshouses, in Gold Street, founded by John Greenway a merchant of Tiverton, in 1517. The building is in Tudor style, and chapel at west end is well preserved, but almshouses sustained considerable injury in fire of 1731 when most of front part was destroyed. Originally building consisted of six rooms to house five men, but due to intermittent additions, by 1842 it provided for 16 almsmen.

Unknown, 1900, Tiverton Almshouses, 44 (Article in Serial). SDV348981.

Details of visit given.

Rogers, W. H. H., 1902-1903, Two Tudor Merchants of the Staple of Tiverton and Cullompton, Devon, 41-56 (Article in Serial). SDV34363.

Many of the ancient textures, including Elizabethan carvings, have been preserved.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950 - 1978, SS91SE6 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV348980.

According to Lysons and Polwhele, the almshouses were founded by John Grenwaye, who died in 1517, 12 years before his death (ie. in 1505) and were for 6 men.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: South Devon, 286 (Monograph). SDV336217.

Street front largely 19th century.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 495-496 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Founded 1529, since when they have been several times repaired and enlarged. The little chapel is Tudor in date.

Knowles, D. + Hadcock, R. N., 1971, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, 335, 399 (Monograph). SDV323253.

Department of Environment, 1972, Tiverton, 27 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV52494.

Devon County Council, 1975, Tiverton Town Trails, 65 (Article in Monograph). SDV352466.

Greenways Alsmhouses were built in 1517 for five old men. There was also a chapel where they were bidden to pray for the souls of John and Joan Greenway.

Timms, S. C., 1976, The Devon Urban Survey, 1976. First Draft, 197, 201 (Report - Survey). SDV341346.

Mid Devon District Council, 1995, Tiverton Conservation Area Partnership Scheme. Preliminary Application, 5 (Un-published). SDV346055.

The most important building in Gold Street is the tiny early 16th century stone chapel to the Greenway Almshouses, which was founded in 1517. The adjoining Almshouses were rebuilt in 1731.

Borthwick, A. + Chandler, J., 1998, Greenways Almshouses, Gold Street, Tiverton, 2, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV343518.

The original early 16th century almshouses were located on the street frontage with a wide strip of backland extending south to the River Lowman. Subsequent rebuilding work in the 18th century and extensions to the complex in the mid and late 19th century have meant that the strip of land running down to the river is now occupied by a complex of three building ranges with their related paths and gardens.The most important archival sources are the accounts and similar records of Greenway's and other Tiverton charities, and include almshouse accounts of Tiverton St Peter's feoffees from 1641 -1885, a list of charity recipients circa 1630 - 1670, and a notebook about charities circa 1850.

Collings, A. G., 2001, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Centralised Offices at Phoenix Lane, Tiverton, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV336255.

Other details: Figure 2.

Wessex Archaeology, 2003, Blundells Road, Tiverton, Devon: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, 5-6, 15 (Report - Assessment). SDV345760.

Other details: Figure 2, site WA 7.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Almshouse range. Founded 1529 for five men. Substantially restored. Local stone rubble; slate roof, crested ridge tiles to chapel.
Plan: single cell three-bay, fronting directly onto the street. Almshouse block has rear centre wing.
Exterior: two storeys and half basement. Asymmetrical three-window front with pretty cast-iron crested gutter, stamped with flowers, held on fancy cast-iron brackets. Hollow-chamfered Tudor arched doorway to left has hoodmould. Nineteenth century two-light stone mullioned windows have moulded mullions except ground floor left which has Tudor-arched lights in a square frame with carved spandrels. All windows glazed with diamond leaded panes. Three blind gables over the three second-floor windows have fancy bargeboards with pendants. Two statue niches in the wall have Ham Hill nodding ogee arches containing statues of St Peter to the left and possibly medieval figure to the right. The rear elevation is roughcast with 20th century iron-framed casement windows and a truncated stack. Interior: not inspected.
History: Dunsford, writing in 1790, reports a gallery in front of the houses "which shelters the dwellings and serves for walking exercise in bad weather". This gallery, which may have been to the rear of the front block, was rebuilt in brick after the fire of 1731. (Dunsford: Historical Memoirs of the Town and Parish of Tiverton: 1790-: P.336).

English Heritage, 22/01/2015, 4-7, 8-9 and 10-12 John Greenway Close (Correspondence). SDV357846.

English Heritage have been asked to assess the three C19 almshouse block to the rear of Gold Street to assess whether the SOUTH block should be removed from the list. The opportunity has been taken to update the list descriptions for the other two listed buildings which form part of the
Greenway's Almshouses complex.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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