Description
The Rawlins Almshouses are modest one-storey red brick almshouses that were erected in 1694 under the will of Anthony Rawlins. Over the centre doorway is a tablet inscribed 'Anthony Rawlins Esq built these Houses for ye poor of this Parish of Beckenham Anno. Dom. 1694'. They were largely rebuilt in 1881 and continue to provide for widows who have lived for at least three years in the area of the former Beckenham UDC. The almshouses have small front and back gardens.
Practical Information
| Site location | 1, 3 & 5 Bromley Road, Beckenham |
|---|---|
| Postcode | BR3 5JG |
| What3Words | ///sailor.mint.poet |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | Bromley |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private, residents only |
| Public Transport | Rail: Beckenham Junction. Bus: 54, 162, 354 |
| Research Updated | 1 January 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Modest one-storey red brick almshouses with attics, which have been here since 1694 under the will of Anthony Rawlins (d.1694). He was a frequent visitor to nearby Kent House (demolished in 1957), which is where he died. He was buried in the 'wool' in St George's Beckenham Churchyard (q.v.) and left £50 for the use of the poor. As a result it was decided to build almshouses with 'three distinct rooms all under one roof' and the land acquired for the purpose was owned by Sir Walter St John. The almshouses, described by Pevsner as 'of the humblest', are still provided for widows who have lived for at least three years in the area of the former Beckenham Urban District Council. The almshouses were substantially rebuilt in 1881, and then modernised in 1981, now having back extensions.
The almshouses have small front and back gardens with boundary trees, a small cypressa at the front, and a few shrubs at front and back. The garden borders the north wall of St George's Churchyard (q.v.), this wall built in 1868 around the time the medieval church was rebuilt. The churchyard's mature trees form a backdrop to the almshouses although there have been problems with overhanging branches, which have been pruned at regular intervals since 1985. In the back garden are three old toilets, now garden sheds. Over the centre doorway is a tablet inscribed: 'Anthony Rawlins Esq built these houses for ye poor of this parish of Beckenham anno.dom.1694.' Concrete paving and a handrail were installed in the back garden in 1992 for £148. The front garden today has a brick wall with three metal gates but earlier photographs of 1880s and early C20th show the boundary as paling or fencing and the etching of 1807 shows the almshouse doors opening straight onto the path in front, although the church is shown with paling.
The almshouses have small front and back gardens with boundary trees, a small cypressa at the front, and a few shrubs at front and back. The garden borders the north wall of St George's Churchyard (q.v.), this wall built in 1868 around the time the medieval church was rebuilt. The churchyard's mature trees form a backdrop to the almshouses although there have been problems with overhanging branches, which have been pruned at regular intervals since 1985. In the back garden are three old toilets, now garden sheds. Over the centre doorway is a tablet inscribed: 'Anthony Rawlins Esq built these houses for ye poor of this parish of Beckenham anno.dom.1694.' Concrete paving and a handrail were installed in the back garden in 1992 for £148. The front garden today has a brick wall with three metal gates but earlier photographs of 1880s and early C20th show the boundary as paling or fencing and the etching of 1807 shows the almshouse doors opening straight onto the path in front, although the church is shown with paling.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ375696 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Beckenham Parochial Charities |
| Site Management | Beckenham Parochial Charities |
| Dates | 1694 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: The Rawlins Almshouses |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Bromley |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | St George's |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Archaeological Significance |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The parish of St George Beckenham was previously in Kent. Although a church on the site was not recorded until 1070, there was probably a church here in some form in Saxon times. The current church dates from 1885-7, built when a larger church was needed for the growing parish. A good collection of monuments from the old church remains including those of the C16th; among C18th memorials are those for prominent local dignitaries. The tree-filled churchyard, which has a restored C13th lych gate, was extended to the east between 1871-1894.
Prior to 1857 the land here was open countryside owned by the Cator family. Adjacent to the parish church, the site of Beckenham Green was built over between 1857-90 when the railway arrived; one of the former buildings on the site was the Railway Hotel. In July 1944 major bomb damage was caused to the buildings and the site was cleared in 1946. It remained undeveloped until 1967, when it was grassed with a part dedicated for use by pupils of the adjacent school. In 2005 this area of public open space was renamed Beckenham Green. A small stage was erected in November 2007 for hosting local events.
Bertie Almshouses were built in 1890 in Arts and Crafts style, at the behest of Mrs Mary Elizabeth Akers of Malling Abbey in memory of her husband Bertie Peter Cator. The small sheltered garden has mature trees, shrubs and back garden now divided in two. A plaque in the porch has the inscription 'AD VSVM PAVPERVM DEI IN MEMORIAM BERTII ET DIANAE MDCCCXC'.