Historical almshouse gets major refurbishment

Derbyshire Dales District Council allocated a grant of £395,615 for the refurbishment project at Wirksworth almshouse

A Grade II listed almshouse has been given a "new lease of life" after a major refurbishment, a council has said.

Derbyshire Dales District Council allocated a grant of £395,615 for the refurbishment project at Wirksworth almshouse, the first major revamp in the building's 440-year history.

In 1963, the building was altered to create four large flats, but the council said the fabric of the building had "deteriorated significantly with age".

New kitchens, bathrooms, double-glazed windows have been installed, along with an air source heat pump to heat the flats to reduce resident's heating bills and carbon emissions.

The building was stripped back to brick during the refurbishment

The work, which took seven months to complete, included stripping all plasterwork back to brick and applying the latest technology in insulating plaster material "in a sympathetic way" to the historical building.

The Anthony Gell and Anthony Bunting Almshouse Charity and the council wanted to achieve a "real step change" in the energy conservation of the building.

In 1584, Anthony Gell, of Hopton Hall, near Wirksworth, said in his will that his brother Thomas Gell should build the Wirksworth almshouse "for the sum of £60”.

Nigel Johns, chairman of the Anthony Gell and Anthony Bunting Almshouse Charity, said the refurbishment project was to "allow the legacy of Antony Gell to move forward".

"A result of the refurbishment is that we will now have a resource that will be very valuable for years to come," said Mr Johns.

Rob Cogings, director of housing for Derbyshire Dales District Council, said: “The council is pleased to have worked in partnership with the Almshouse Charity to secure the long-term future of the four flats and significantly improve the energy efficiency of the homes.

"The Energy Performance Certificate for the flats has improved from a poor F rating to D.

“It is great to see these historic homes given a new lease of life.”