Almshouses in Sixteenth-Century England:

Abstract

The English "almshouse" has a significantly different origin and history from that of the American institution of the same name. This paper reports on the almshouse as a distinctly positive means of housing for the poor elderly, with special reference to the reign of Elizabeth I of England. The numbers of almshouses, their architectural designs (as compared with the homes of the poor), and their administration-including a description of ordinary life as an almsman-are considered. Some observations concerning motives of foundation and subsequent attitudes are presented in conclusion.