Bedworth’s most beautiful building is the breathtaking 1840 Nicholas Chamberlaine Almshouses on All Saint’s Square in the town centre. Bedworth is mentioned in the Doomsday Book as a small farming community. It later grew, along with the rest of the Midlands, with the mining and industrial boom, and became a ribbon weaving centre. However, the town suffered with the decline of this industry. All across England in the 16th century monasteries lost their power and the schools, hospitals and care they provided dissolved.  | | The Bedworth Almshouses |
The new parishes took over the task of providing these social services. Amazingly, in Bedworth the almshouse provision set up in response to this situation in the 17th century is still run as a charitable service today. Gallery and 360 tourClick on the link below to launch a gallery of photographs showing the beautiful building and some of its residents. Alternatively you could take a look at our 360 degree tour that shows the almshouses as they stand today They are almost unchanged over the past few hundred years. Charitable rootsNicholas Chamberlaine – who's name is celebrated in the almshouses - was a 17th century rector of Bedworth and is still remembered as a generous benefactor. In 1715 he left money in his will that paid for almshouses to be built opposite the current site of the Bedworth Civic Hall. The building fell into disrepair, however, and in the 1830s the trustees bought a new site - the current site that was then on the edge of the village. The building that stands today dates from this time, although much of the architecture adopts an older style. Thanks to his generosity and the hard work of current trustees, the almshouses and a number of schools continue to benefit from the charity he established. In the 1980s the building was threatened but a campaign managed to get the buildings listed and a programme of restoration began. Today, the trust continues to be on the public register of social landlords and looks after residents in 27 sheltered housing apartments in the almshouses.  | | The Bedworth Almshouses |
To celebrate its benefactor, a Nicholas Chamberlaine memorial service is held every year in the nearby All Saint’s Church. George Eliot linksIn further links with the area’s history, George Eliot’s father and brother (Robert and Isaac) were involved in advising the Chamberlaine charity in Bedworth and assisted with collecting rents and inspecting property. Their base during George Eliot’s childhood was the Arbury Estate, midway between Nuneaton and Bedworth. Isaac’s son, Frederick, was also rector in the almshouses from 1876 – 1927 and was involved in running its schools and rebuilding its church in 1890. The Parsonage ProjectThe Parsonage Project is a display space for local heritage exhibitions based in the cellar of the almshouses. The project, co-ordinated by the Bedworth Society and the Nicholas Chamberlaine Trust, opened in 2000. The exhibition space is open to the public on Tuesdays and Fridays 10.30am-1pm and on Saturdays at 10.30am - 3.30pm. | 
