ALMSHOUSES OF LONDON

 

 

Nicoll's Almshouses

Milespit Hill, Mill Hill, NW7 1RD

 

In 1696 Thomas Nicoll of Page Street, Mill Hill, built six brick almshouses at the junction of Milespit Hill and The Ridgeway, facing Angel Pond.

The single-storey almshouses accommodated six elderly poor residents of Hendon for a nominal rent. However, because Nicoll had not endowed the almshouses, the parish had to take responsibility for repairs. Thus, for a while, they were known as the parish almshouses.

In 1863 trustees were appointed under a Scheme for the charities of the parish.

In 1881 the only income for the almshouses was the weekly rent payment of 6d (2.5p) from each inmate.

However, in her will dated 1890. Elizabeth Holm bequeathed £30,000 to such charities as her executors chose. The almshouse trustees received some funds from this bequest and, in 1893, were able to carry out extensive repairs to the building.

In 1910 the Nicoll and Holm charities were merged with the Daniel and Holm charities which managed Daniel's Almshouses in Hendon, thus providing 16 almshouses jointly for those who had resided in Hendon for five years or more. Both almshouses were renamed the Nicholl and Daniel Homes (Thomas Nicoll having somehow acquired an 'h' in his name!)

In 1950 the almshouses were Grade II listed.

The building was improved and modernised in 1959, and again in 1971.

 

Current status

The almshouses are managed by Fifield Glyn on behalf of the trustees of the Nicholl and Daniel Homes Charity. The trustees are responsible for appointing the almspeople, who must be over 50 years of age, in housing need and living within the areas of benefit within the London Borough of Barnet.

N.B. Photographs obtained in September 2020

Nicoll's Almshouses

The almshouses overlook Angel Pond.

Nicoll's Almshouses

Each almshouse in the single-storey terrace has a front door and a window.

Nicoll's Almshouses

Between the central set of doors (Nos. 3 and 4) is a stone plaque with the inscription: "These Six Almes Houses were Erected in ye year of our Lord 1696 At the Sole Charge of THOMAS NICOLL of this Parish Gent for the use of ye poore".

References (Accessed 6th September 2021)
(Author unstated) 1820 Parliamentary Papers, Vol. 5. London, H.M.S.O., p.167
Cherry B, Pevsner N 1998 London 4: North. New Haven, Yale University Press, p.180.
 
http://newsletters.hadas.org.uk
https://artuk.org
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk
https://historicengland.org.uk
https://londonpostcodewalks.wordpress.com
https://millhill-hs.org.uk
https://osm/wikidata.link
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk
www.barnet.gov.uk (1)
www.barnet.gov.uk (2)
www.british-history.ac.uk (1)
www.british-history.ac.uk (2)
www.flickr.com
www.geograph.org.uk (1)
www.geograph.org.uk (2)
www.geograph.org.uk (3)
www.mhps.org.uk

Last updated 6th September 2021

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