Friday Photo- Walmley Almshouses

This week’s Friday Photo is of the Walmley Almshouses, located in Sutton Coldfield. I pass these buildings quite often and have always been intrigiued by them. The first almshouse on this site was built in 1828, but the one in today’s photo was built in 1863 and is Grade II listed. If you look closely, the building bears the inscription “the memory of the just is blessed”. Almshouses have existed in Britain since the 10th Century, with many of the Medieval almshouses built with the intention of benefiting the soul of the founder of their family. As charitable institutions they enable people, usually the elderly, to live in safe and secure housing- the Walmley Almshouses are today owned by Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, and carry on with this tradition.