Hopton's Almshouses

Charles Hopton established these almshouses in seventeen fifty two through a specific provision in his will. He served as a fishmonger and a member of the local parish vestry, and he directed that his wealth be used to provide housing for twenty six poor men who had lived in the parish for at least twenty years. The rules for residency were strict, requiring the men to be at least fifty years old and members of the Church of England. This foundation ensured that despite the rapid industrialization of Southwark throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this quiet courtyard remained a sanctuary for elderly residents who had spent their entire lives working in the immediate vicinity.