Almshouses within a courtyard at the rear of the Bluecoat Centre are one of Chester’s hidden gems.

And now a rare opportunity has arisen for an older person to occupy a vacant almshouse within the complex in Upper Northgate Street.

Chester Municipal Charities (CMC), who own the properties, have placed an ad seeking a new tenant who must have strong Chester connections, be aged 60 years or over, capable of independent living and of limited financial means.

The advert states: “Small terraced one-bedroomed self-contained house most suited for a single person is offered at a weekly payment of £90 (exclusive of bills and council tax) which is eligible for Housing Benefit, if applicable.”

There is no on-site parking and no pets are allowed.

Bluecoat School, Upper Northgate Street.

The almshouses were originally attached to the Medieval St John’s Hospital founded by Ranulph III, Earl of Chester, in the early 1190s but were rebuilt in 1854. The hospital was demolished in 1644 when all the hospital’s stone buildings, chapel and the surrounding wall were pulled down.

In 1717 the Corporation approved building of The Bluecoat Hospital School, built on the same site, which has been recently refurbished and today serves as a charity hub.

Former Chester Labour MP Christine Russell, a trustee of Chester Municipal Charities and chair of the Bluecoat sub-committee, supports the principles behind the almshouses which she sees as an early form of affordable housing.

Christine Russell
Christine Russell

She said: “They are for people with strong Chester roots of limited financial means – there is the odd person in the houses under 60 but they have disabilities – so it’s not a hard and fast rule. Everyone benefits from having a communal TV licence. In many ways it’s like sheltered accommodation but we put in the ad the tenant must be capable of independent living because although we have the charities in the main building, we don’t employ a warden.”

Mrs Russell said the cottages were generally quite small but there were ‘one or two’ larger ones.

She said it was ‘a lovely little community’ where everyone looks out for each other.

Enquiries in the first instance should be made to: administration officer, Chester Municipal Charities, The Bluecoat, Upper Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 1HQ.