The Almshouses

Gateway to the Almshouses in 1895

Homes For The Poor Widows

Few buildings in Arksey as as recognisable as the Almshouses. Twelve (now six) dwellings built around a central enclosed courtyard with a gated entrance and a Latin inscription above. These buff stone cottages have stood opposite the main gateway to Arksey church for centuries, enduring floods and abandonment. Brought back to life in the late 20th century, this article explains the origins, history and re-birth of one of the central features of the village.

Contents

• A Bequest
• Latin Inscription
• Interior
• Flooding
• Dereliction and Renovation
• Renovation Work
• Completion and Handover
• Eight Years Later
• Almshouses Open Events 
• Celebrating History
• Photos by Ian Barber

A Bequest 

Location of the Almshouses on a map of 1891

The Almshouses were built in 1660 by Sir George Cooke at the bequest of his deceased brother Bryan. The dwellings were intended to serve as a ‘hospital’ (a charitable home) for twelve of the poorest and oldest people in the parish and were to be endowed with £120 per annum. 

Latin Inscription

A Latin inscription above the entrance refers to the bequest of Bryan Cooke, although it is now so heavily weathered it is beyond reading. Here is a copy of the Latin inscription from the book The History and Antiquities of Doncaster And Its Vicinity by Edward Miller (1804):

Latin inscription on the Almshouses gate

  

The following is a translation of the inscription:

'Bryan Cooke of Wheatley in the county of York, Esq., by his last will and testament signed the third day of January A.D. 1660, appointed this building to be erected. A sum of money sufficient for that purpose being bequeathed, for the use of twelve persons, the most distressed by poverty and age in the parish of Arksey, to each of whom he left £5 annually, in succession for ever.

 Sir George Cooke, Baronet, great grandson of the above named Bryan, rebuilt this porch nearly levelled to the ground by the injuries of time, October 30th A.D. 1736.'

Latin inscription above the gate.

Almshouses front (photo by Ian Barber)

Interior

The twelve dwellings are built around a central quadrangle and there was space beyond the rear of the buildings for small allotment gardens for the residents. The original roof was thatched; it was replaced by slates in the 1860's and then with tiles in 1900. 

Inside, each dwelling had one main room with an iron range for cooking and heating. I believe there was also another small room which eventually became a bathroom, but probably started out as a store.

Photo of an interior stripped out for refurbishment in 1998

Census records show that the Almshouses were fully occupied throughout the nineteenth century. Most of the occupants were widows although there were records of children and men living there from time to time. Sometimes the widows had their spinster daughters staying with them or had a live-in nurse.

Census records can be found on this site in the tabs at the top of the page.

Flooding

In 1932 the Almshouses were badly hit by severe flooding which inundated the whole of Arksey, most of Bentley, Toll Bar and the Marsh Gate area of Doncaster. 

On the night of May 23rd 1932, a wave of flood water swept into the village and reached a height of six feet on High Street. The Almshouses residents were evacuated from their ground floor dwellings, the last person being removed at 1.30am. Arksey people who lived in two storey cottages were fortunate in that they could live on their upper floor until the water receded.

It was three weeks before the area was declared flood free, however the devastation left behind must have been terrible.

The following photos show just how bad it was for the residents of the Almshouses.

The flooded interior of the courtyard

Two of the residents facing the clean up

Ruined furniture brought outside

clearing sludge from inside the houses

Dereliction and Renovation 

The Almshouses in the 1990's, empty and derelict

Work had been carried out at various times over the centuries to ensure the upkeep of the almshouses. The most recent before this current project was carried out in 1970, when the original twelve dwellings became ten. Unfortunately the work was not carried out as faithfully as is now required.

By 1991 the almshouses were empty of residents and the building was left derelict and in a bad way. However, in 1996 grants from the Cooke Almshouse Charity and Trustees, combined with funding from Doncaster Planning and Design Services, Housing Services, Law, Property and Administrative Services were used to renovate the grade II listed building and provide six homes for the elderly and vulnerable. 

One of the Almshouses pre-renovation

One of the empty interiors

The project began in May 1998 and saw the building stripped back to the original stonework which, interestingly, contained chicken bones, used as packing to fill gaps. 

The following photos were taken during work to strip out the building and were on show at an Almshouses open day in 2014.

Original roof construction

Photo of a photo showing the stripped back stonework and original blocked up wooden window frame. The drain pipe is not original!

One of the stripped out interiors

The render removed from the building exposing the original stonework

Renovation Work

The original twelve dwellings were reduced in number to six, four single homes and two for couples. Each house was made larger and fitted out with all modern appliances, and suitable for the elderly and disabled.

New windows were fitted, the roof tiles were taken off, repairs made and then replaced. The stonework was repaired and re-rendered. New interiors were fitted out and the garden courtyard re-turfed and made tidy.

While the renovations were taking place my Mum (Muriel Breach), who lives nearby, took a series of photos charting the progress of the work. Here are the photos she took:

Work gets underway with the removal of the old render from the left front.

Render is removed from the right front.

The front entrance with render removed.

Work continues on the interior.

More of the interior work.

A side wall of the building from the old school yard, with render partially removed.

The front gateway.

Work begins on on the chimneys and roof.

Scaffolding has gone up and service trenches have been dug.

The stone gateway was encased in wood for protection.

Photo of the whole quadrangle.

New render has been added and paving is starting to go down.

Work continues on the north side of the exterior.

Render has been added to the front and the stone gateway has been uncovered.

New windows have been put in and paving is stacked up ready to be laid.

Finishing touches are added in the form of lamps and a new lawn.

Completion and Handover

The building was completed in November 1998, and in February 1999 Sir David Cooke (descendant of Bryan Cooke and Sir George Cooke) returned to Arksey to accept the keys on behalf of his charity.

After the hand over an open day was held for the locals, so they could see the newly renovated Almshouses. My Mum took the following photos at the event.

An open day is held for the newly refurbished Almshouses.

 

The new interior is neat and tidy.

The rear of the building.

View through the rear arch looking towards the front gateway.

View of the rear of the gateway.

One of the interiors, complete with new kitchen area.

One of the bathrooms with facilities for the physically challenged.

This kitchen has been designed for the wheelchair user.

The finished exterior.

Eight Years Later

Since the Almshouses were renovated they have provided a safe haven for the elderly in comfortable surroundings. As these photos show (taken by myself), the cottages have mellowed over the years and now look as good as they ever did.

The Almshouses are now a peaceful haven.

The well-kept quadrangle.

The Almshouses go on providing homes for the elderly 350 years after they were built.

Almshouses Open Events

Since 2014 the Cooke Charity has hosted a bi-yearly open day, in conjunction with All Saints Church. the event takes place in August every other year and features stalls, history displays and a chance to see inside the cottages.

Inside the Almshouses gate on open day

Celebrating History

The event includes displays of historic records, such as census returns and records of past occupants. There are photos of the renovations carried out in the 1990's, and information on the Cooke family, who were responsible for building them back in 1660.

There is also a raffle and Tombola, and a few items for sale including vegetables donated from the Almshouses own allotments.

I was involved in the first open day and hosted a slide show charting the history of the Almshouses and their long association with the Cookes of Wheatley. I was also on hand to answer questions.

Myself with the Almshouses slide show.

Here are a few photos taken on open days.

The information tables, 2014

Almshouses history provided by Arksey Village, A History, 2014

Archway to the garden (photo by Chelle Tovell), 2014

Rafters in the roof (photo by Chelle Tovell), 2014

Tents and gazebos, 2014

Poster for the 2018 open day

The lovely Margaret Tarren serving my Mum on her book stall 

Stalls and visitors, 2018

Back garden, 2018

The old well in the allotments

Photos by Ian Barber

Finally, here are a selection of photos by professional photographer Ian Barber.

Many thanks to Laura Hawkins, Muriel Breach, Chelle Tovell and Ian Barber for images used in this article.

Find Ian Barber at Ian Barber, fine Art Photography



Alison Vainlo

First written 2012, updated 2016, revised 2019.