On Hill Street in Coventry, a timber-framed almshouse has stood largely unchanged since 1506. Bond’s Hospital was founded by Thomas Bond, a draper who had served as Mayor of Coventry in 1497. In his will, Bond set aside money for “the sustenance of ten poor men, and of a woman who was to attend to their necessities” – requiring residents to attend church services three times a day and to pray for the founder and the Trinity Guild. That original charitable purpose has never really gone away; the building continues to operate as sheltered housing to this day.
History and Ownership
The site was chosen beside the 14th-century College of Bablake, with both buildings sharing the same courtyard. Bond’s son attempted to claim lands that had been given to the charity and was taken to court over it. In 1610, the Crown seized the land, which was subsequently bought back by the city. Control of the building now rests with the Bond’s and Ford’s Hospital Charity, part of the Coventry Church Municipal Charities. A comparable 16th-century foundation for women almoners, Ford’s Hospital, shares the same charitable umbrella. Although the street frontage was largely rebuilt in 1832, the west end bay rebuilt in 1834, and the back wing extended in 1847, the building retains most of its original character. Four flats were added in the 1970s, followed by 31 two-bedroom flats in 2004, bringing the total to 75 sheltered homes as of 2006.
Architecture and What to See
The structure is timber-framed with brick infilling, a tiled roof, and bargeboards. Inside, there are twelve bed-sitting rooms and a common room. The garden at the rear contains a section of Coventry’s old city wall, making it a point of genuine historical interest beyond the building itself. Bond’s Hospital holds Grade II* listed status, reflecting its architectural significance. It opens to the public on designated open days, giving visitors the chance to see one of Coventry’s oldest surviving buildings in an area that lost much of its historic fabric during the Second World War.