The Penniless Porch

I found this intriguing. The Penniless Porch, in Wells. As the plaque tells us, it was built to shelter the poor as they begged for alms, presumably from the Cathedral and perhaps from the Bishop himself. While we know that social welfare, for want of a better phrase, was not the best back in the day, isn't it interesting that in circa 1450 a place was built specifically to allow the neediest in society to plea for help?

Meanwhile, in modern Britain, some benches are made deliberately 'anti-homeless' so the poor souls in those areas don't even have a place to rest. In researching this little post I discovered that 'anti-homeless architecture' is a thing. Wow.

Just goes to prove that there is potential to learn from the past, in my view. I know modern problems are bigger, wider and perhaps more difficult to address, but when did society lose its compassion? Makes me sad.

Anyway, on an entirely different note, this is making me think that there might be a story here, somewhere...

Penniless Porch photos are mine (I know they are not very good!)

Spiked bench image: Image: Kent Williams / Flickr

Want to know more about anti-homeless architecture? Anti-Homeless Architecture

The Penniless Porch, Wells Cathedral

Built by Bishop Bekynton circa 1450

The modern way of helping the most vulnerable and needy in our society