In 1678 Justinian Pagitt and his wife Antonia conveyed the old red brick vicarage house at the Church of St Mary the Virgin to trustees to provide dwellings for the incumbent and the parish clerk, as well as six almshouses for poor elderly couples or single women of good character.

In 1788 two of the almshouses were leased to the incumbent so as to enlarge the Rectory house (as it was then called) and to raise funds to repair the remaining four almshouses.

When £200 had been raised by subscription, around 1822 the almshouse building was rebuilt on an adjoining part of the Rectory garden east of the church (the Rector took the old site in exchange). The new two-storey brick building had Gothic doors and windows and the frontage was faced with knapped flint. It contained four almshouses.

In 1848 another two almshouses were added to the south end of the building, at a cost of £50.

In 1961 a smaller red brick block was added.

In 1999 the Jesus Hospital Charity took over management of the almshouses.

Current status