Once a medieval hall framed by rare cruck trusses, Castlemorton’s Almshouses have stood at the heart of the parish’s story for centuries. Over time the building grew through Elizabethan additions, 16th-century remodelling and, eventually, its conversion into six modest dwellings for the “aged and deserving poor”. This introduction explores not only the architectural evolution of this remarkable structure, but also the wider story of parish welfare: the struggles of the poor, the burden carried by a handful of local voters, and the reforms that sought to offer dignity close to home rather than in the distant workhouse. From vivid accounts of hardship to the dedicated efforts that restored the old charity, the history of Castlemorton’s Almshouse reveals a community wrestling with poverty, compassion and responsibility—before the building’s final rescue and rebirth as a family home. You can read a deeper and more exhaustive article and BCH Journal Vol 5