In 1716, William Penny left £700 to set up homes for the benefit of the poor of Lancaster. He was an alderman on the town’s council, and three times the mayor. His bequest was for twelve houses and a chapel for “poor indigent ancient men and women”. The homes were constructed on King Street. They were originally known as Penny’s Hospital, being not a hospital in the modern sense of the word, but a place of hospitality and shelter.
Although the houses could home men or women, they were heavily skewed in favour of men, with only two widows allowed to live there if not enough men could be found. As well as their own home, the residents received an allowance and a suit of clothes.
The houses were arranged in two rows of six, facing each other across a courtyard. A large wall gave privacy from the road outside, with a central entranceway. At the far end of the courtyard a chapel was built, and the Penny’s legacy provided a salary for a priest. The almshouses were completed in 1720, and have been occupied ever since.
In 1759, the trustees built the Assembly Rooms next door. This enabled money to be raised from the townsfolk booking the venue, and the profits went to the ongoing upkeep of the almshouses. Eleven years later, records show that the chapel was also being used as a charity school. It was for the sons of local craftsmen, and they would learn reading, writing and arithmetic.
In 1860, the Lancaster Charity was set up, bringing together local charities and their almshouses into one central group, to make the management of the pooled properties easier. Ten years later, Penny’s Hospital almshouses had capacity for 14 people to be resident. Again men were more favoured, and both married or single ones could be admitted. Women had to be widows. The men also received a shilling more than the women in their allowance.
The rules of the Lancaster Charity published in 1914 give a snapshot of what was expected of the residents. Inmates (as they were called) had to keep their houses clean and tidy. They had to be neat and tidy in dress, and if they were not, then their clothing allowance would be withheld. If they were drunk, or showed disorderly conduct, they could be instantly dismissed. All the residents had to be in their houses by 10 o’clock at night, and any visitors must have left by then. If inmates were to be away for more than 48 hours, then they needed to seek permission from the clerk of the trustees.
In 1929 King Street, being a major thoroughfare in Lancaster, was widened. This meant that two of the houses closest to the street had to be demolished. In order to keep accommodation capacity the same, the chapel was shortened and two new houses were built next to it. The chapel was refurbished at this time, and the large screen wall that separates the courtyard from the road was rebuilt in its present position.
In 1968, new homes were built on Regent Street, with the intention that they should replace the Penny’s Hospital Almshouses on King Street. The new residences were named ‘William Penny’s’. They were constructed to be 14 single occupation properties, along with a warden’s house. The original almshouses were to be closed, but then reopened as a living museum. This never came to pass, and both sets continued to be used as accommodation administered by Lancaster Charity.
Six years later, the original almshouses had bathroom extensions added on to them. Further repairs took place in 1985, with the Latin inscription over the gate being renovated. Its English translation reads: “In the year 1720 these houses were founded and endowed out of generosity of William Penny, Gent. lately an Alderman of Lancaster, who ordered that the unrighteous should keep away from here”.
The Chapel
Above the entrance to the chapel is an inscription that reads “Forget not the congregation of the poor”. The interior of the building dates from 1929, when it was shortened and refurbished. A simple altar table was installed at this time. Behind it, a single beautiful stained glass window bears the ominous inscription Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is Mark 13.33. The chapel is part of the Parish of Lancaster Priory and regular services are still held within.
The Lancaster Charity Today
Penny’s Hospital Almshouses now provide accommodation for ten single people and one couple, along with a warden’s cottage. As well as the above mentioned Regent Street William Penny’s flats that were built in the 1960s, the Lancaster Charity has a number of other properties based on the almshouse model. These are clustered around Queen Street and Lindow Square in Lancaster. They include Jellyman House, Lindow House, Lindow Close, Gillson’s Courtyard, Queen Street Bungalows and the Watson Bungalow. The majority of these were constructed in the 20th century. Residents are not classed as tenants, but are contractual licencees, paying not a rent but a modest weekly charge. They are free to decorate and furnish their homes as they wish.
Site visited by A. and S. Bowden 2024
Access
The chapel is frequently open to members of the public. Access is through the courtyard. On the day of our visit, a Saturday in March 2024, the opening times were attached to the central gateway in the screen wall.
Nearby
Lancaster Castle: The Prison and Courts
Lancaster Castle: The Fortress
Lancaster’s Custom House: The Maritime Museum
References
On site interpretation in the chapel
lancastercivicsociety.uk/2021/10/06/wednesday-walk-almshouses-in-lancaster/
lahs.archaeologyuk.org/Tour/King%20Street.htm
historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/education/educational-images/pennys-almshouses-king-street-lancaster-8729
lancastercharity.org/our-properties
lancastercharity.org/our-properties/william-pennys
Lancashire Past 
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