God's Place Almshouses, Ewelme, Oxfordshire
The licence to establish the almshouse here was granted in 1437. It was built at the expense of the Earl and Countess of Suffolk. The countess (nee Alice Chaucer) was born in Ewelme in 1409. She was the granddaughter of Geoffrey Chaucer, the poet. She married William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk in 1420 (created Duke of Suffolk 1448). He "for love of his wife and the commodity of her lands felt much to dwell in Oxfordshire." They rebuilt the church, established the almshouse and built the school.
