Holloway's Almshouses

Situation
In the churchyard to the east of St Mary's Church, Witney.

History
John Holloway, the same wealthy cloth merchant who was responsible for funding the Bluecoat School, willed this row of almshouses to Witney town in 1723. The endowment seems to have been for six blanket makers' widows [1] and each was to have 'a lower and an upper room, together with a little garden, and other things necessary'.

The following qualifications were required of the widows:

Such as are no busybodies, nor proud, nor idle persons... being of a good life and godly conversation. If any proveth contrary thereto... they shall be put out by the Trustees. Moreover, each indweller shall keep her rooms clean and decent, and as much as they are able help to keep all the premises clean and in good order in all respects. They shall keep sensible hours at their respective habitations, and be of a loving, sober, and good behaviour [2].

The almshouses that can be seen today are not the original ones but a rebuilt version erected in their place to a Gothic design by William Wilkinson in 1868 [3].

Clare Sumner