LAST year I wrote about Alms Houses and mentioned the wonderful example found at Waddington. I asked readers to list other Alms Houses which they knew of in Lancashire.

An impressive list developed from letters received.

Here are a few:

Penny Alms Houses in Lancaster;

Stydd, near Ribchester;

Whalley;

Croston near Chorley.

Just over the border there are sets:

Long Preston;

Beamsley, near Bolton Abbey.

Locally the most impressive is the set of Alms Houses at Hurst Green, which I have explored this week.

These institutions began in the 13th century when the monks felt pity for the poor and set up "Spital Houses" from which we get the word hospital.

The monks provided food, shelter and prayer.

When the monasteries were dissolved in the 1530s on the orders of Henry VIII the Alms Houses were sold off or demolished and, for a while, the poor fared very badly indeed.

From the 17th century onwards the richer landowners felt the need to re-establish the concept of Alms Houses and some remain in use to this day.

Good examples are the fine set at Stydd, which are beautifully maintained, as are those at Waddington.

I have a photograph of the Shireburn Alms houses taken in 1903 and they look very like those of today. This is a tribute to workers in 1947 who moved the houses stone by stone from their original location on Kemple End to the village of Hurst Green.

They are on the right as you stroll through Hurst Green and up towards Stonyhurst School. I have walked this route on many occasions but this week I found the Croston alms houses for the first time.

Croston is situated between Chorley and Southport and I found the alms houses to the left close to the bridge which carries the road over the River Yarrow. These were built in 1809 by the Rev Streynsham Master to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of George III. The houses, like those at Hurst Green and elsewhere, are still in use but not all serve the same function.

I found so much to enjoy in Croston but howling winds and rain has persuaded me to return and explore at leisure.

I have also saw some labrador pups for sale so, who knows, I may soon have a walking companion!