Sherborne has an unusual almshouse. Most medieval hospitals or almshouses sprang from the charity of the Church. The impetus for this one came from concerned townspeople. It was incorporated by royal charter in 1437. The building housed twelve poor men and four poor women. To keep the sexes separate, the building was two-storey. The women lived on the top storey which gave onto a gallery in the chapel. The almshouse still serves its original purpose, though there are more residents, thanks to a Victorian expansion.