Since 1640 when Owfields was built the Almshouses in Ashbourne have been built and managed by Old Trust
Pegges Almshouses were sold in 1981.
There are 46 Almshouses belonging to the Old Trust:-
| Total | Old Almshouses | New Almshouses | |
| Spalden’s | 10 | 10 | |
| Owfield’s | 4 | 4 | |
| Clergymen’s Widows | 6 | 6 | |
| Cooper’s Gardens | 10 | 10 | |
| Cooper’s Close | 9 | 9 | |
| Abraham’s | 3 | 3 | |
| John Cooper’s | 4 | 4 | |
| 46 | 24 | 22 |
The Almshouses are managed by three committees:-
The chairman of each committee produces a bi-monthly written report which is sent out to members prior to the meeting, and then clarifies at the meeting any issue which may have arisen post the report, and answers any questions which may then arise. Copies of the full reports are filed with the minutes by the Clerk.
- The Housing Maintenance Committee is responsible for the on-going maintenance of the almshouses and produces a “Quinquennial Inspection Report every five years. The committee does not meet on a formal basis. Members have a wide range of experience and individual members are asked for their input depending on the project in hand.
- The Allocations and Monitoring Committee who look after all the lettings are looking at the possibility of an appeal to the Charity Commission to effectively amend our Governing Document with particular emphasis on the key area of eligibility and commercial letting of the Almshouses, and looking at how we monitor the almspersons on a regular basis. The Committee meets at least twice a year.
- The Finance Committee is responsible for ensuring that accurate accounts are maintained, and audited, and for approving any items of expenditure with respect to the almshouses.
They recommend to members where funds are invested for both the almshouses and the Grammar School, and are responsible for looking after their endowments. The Committee meets at least twice a year.
1. Spalden’s Almshouses
Nicholas Spalden, by will, dated 16th April 1710, gave money to build 10 Almshouses
2. Owfield’s Almshouses
Richard Owfield, by will, dated 28th January 1630, gave £100 to erect 8 almshouses for the poor people of Ashbourne.
3. Christopher Pegg’s Almshouses 1699
Christopher Pegg, by will, directed 6 almshouses to be erected on his property in Ashbourne for 6 poor persons inhabiting the town.
Pegg’s Almshouses were sold by auction at the White Lion Hotel on the 3rd September 1981 for £7000.
4. Clergy Widows Almshouses
Nicholas Spalden, by will, dated April, 1710, gave money to build 4 neat and pretty houses for entertaining the widows of 4 clergymen of the Church of England.
Miss H. S. Cooper a grand-daughter of the founder of the firm Richard Cooper & Co. made a gift of £60,000 for the erection of approximately 16 bungalows in 1965.
5. Coopers Gardens (8 almshouses)
Numbers 1-6 were built in 1979.
Numbers 7 and 8 were built in 1990.
Numbers 6A and 6B were built and paid for by The Old Trust in 2014.
6. Coopers Close (9 were built in 1969)
Making 17 in total given by Miss Cooper.
7. Abrahams
William Abraham, by will, in 1896, left money (after the death of his wife who died in 1937) for the building of 3 almshouses, the building of which was delayed due to the 2nd World War.
3 almshouses were built in 1964 in Cokayne Avenue
8. John Coopers
The 6 almshouses were taken over by the Old Trust in 1988, and were converted into 4 almshouses, 2 on either side of the alley way in 1992