Amersham Almshouses

A Brief History of the Almshouse Charity

The charity dates back to the 1650s with the bequest from Sir William Drake (son of Francis Drake, who was a godson of the famous Elizabethan sea captain Sir Francis Drake) for six almshouses, known as 'Drakes', on the South side of the High Street and in 1857 with an original bequest from Harriet Day for nine cottages, Miss Day's, in Hatch’s Yard on the North side of the High Street, this fund was augmented by a bequest from the Tyrwhitt Drake estate.

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The charity is now managed by Trustees appointed by the church, council and local community.