Listed Building record MDO3539 - Ryves Almshouses, 42-44 Salisbury Street, Blandford Forum

Almshouses founded by George Ryves in 1682 for 10 poor persons. Long single storey red brick range with projecting wings at each end forming a three sided court. Plain-tile roof with stone slates at eaves with six good brick chimneys with sunk panels and moulded caps.

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1971 (Map). SWX1197.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 23 (Monograph). SDO146.

(7) RYVES'S ALMSHOUSES (Plate 112) stand on the E. side of Salisbury Street. They were built in 1682 and, being situated near the outskirts of the town, escaped the fire. They are single-storied with brick walls and have tiled roofs with stone-slate verges. The main range stands parallel with but a little back from the street, and at each end a short gable -ended wing runs out at right angles as far as the roadside. Four round-headed doorways, symmetrically disposed in the W. wall of the main range, give access to what were originally ten dwellings, now five. Casement windows between the doorways have wide stone surrounds and mullions. The eaves are masked by a plaster cove which turns up at the cente of the range to form a small gable supported on wooden consoles. Beneath the gable is a stone tablet, surrounded by a mounded architrave and surmounted by an achievement-of-arms of Ryves. The tablet is inscribed 'GEORGIVS RYVES ARMIGER DE DAMARY VICE COMES DORSETENSIS GERONTOCOMIVM HOC FECIT DICAVIT ANNO DNI MDCLXXXII

<3> DOE (HHR), 1973, DOE (HHR) Blandford Forum RD Dorset September 1973, 53 (Scheduling record). SDO17703.

<4> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BB44/01412 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Ryves Almshouses in Blandford Forum from the north, with a horse and cart waiting outside

<5> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24471 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of Ryves Almshouses in Blandford Forum from the north, with a horse and cart waiting outside

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205450 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 28 2022 1:29PM