Spring Open Doors at Eure's Row.
One afternoon a year, the almshouse courtyard at Beatrice Street is open to neighbours. There is tea, a small plant sale, conversation with the trustees, and a short reading by Reverend Darlington at 15.00. Children and dogs both welcome; tea is free.
What to expect
Spring Open Doors is the only afternoon in the year when the courtyard at Eure's Row is open to neighbours. It is a small, slow afternoon. There is no programme of speeches; there is, instead, a long table of tea and cake, a plant sale at the back of the courtyard, two or three trustees in tweed jackets willing to answer any question put to them, and — at 15.00 — a short reading in the side passage between Nos. 3 and 4.
This year the reading will be by Reverend Paul Trevor Darlington. He has chosen a short passage from R.S. Thomas's Selected Poems in honour of Elspeth Hampton, who has been quietly reading her way through it from the cold frame. The reading lasts about seven minutes.
Where to find us
The courtyard at Eure's Row is on the south side of Beatrice Street, between numbers 41 and 47 of the street. The entrance is through a wooden gate set in a brick wall, with a small painted sign reading Eure and Smale Charity — Almshouses. The nearest car park is the Smithfield Street car park (a five-minute walk); on-street parking is available but limited on a Saturday.
What to bring
- A small jug or pot, if you'd like to take a cutting home from the plant sale.
- Cash for the plant sale (most plants £1 to £5). Contactless is also accepted at the back of the table.
- A coat that does not mind a brief rain shower — we are at the mercy of the Shropshire sky.
Accessibility
The courtyard is reached by a single sandstone step, with a hand-rail. We can provide a portable ramp on request; please mention it in the booking form below and a steward will meet you at the gate. Step-free toilets are in the parish hall opposite, a 90-second walk. The hall has a hearing loop. A British Sign Language interpreter can be arranged with three weeks' notice — please write to the trustees.
For children
Children are welcome and there is a small corner of the garden with a colouring table and a few books from the Trustees' Library. Younger children should be accompanied at all times; the apple step has a low rail.