In 1922 the Butchers Almshouses in Walham Green closed when the Butchers Charitable Institution built new almshouses on the site of Cromwell House, a large mansion with extensive grounds in Hounslow.

The almshouse blocks were laid out on three sides of a quadrangle facing Staines Road and backing onto Grove Road. They contained 32 dwellings. The apartments on the ground floor had a verandah overlooking the quad, while the first floor ones had a balcony. In addition, the site contained a hall, a committee room, a laundry and a block with bath facilities - one for men and one for women.

During the 1960s new almshouses were built adjacent to the old ones, on the open ground at the southwestern corner of Staines Road and Hibernia Road. The old site was sold off for housing development.

The new two-storey almshouses were named Smoothfields and were accessed from Hibernia Road. They consisted of 29 apartments, as well as a warden's residence and a small community hall.

In 1986 the Butchers Charitable Institution merged with the London Meat Traders and Drovers Benevolent Association to become the Butchers and Drovers Charitable Institution.

At the beginning of the 21st century, because of a reduction in demand, the Institution decided a smaller number of almshouses was needed. In 2005 planning permission was sought to demolish the almshouses and to redevelop the site as an apartment block for private residences, but with some almshouse provision.

The redevelopment was completed in 2014. The new apartment block, named Smoothfield Court, contains 38 one-bedroomed apartments and 68 two-bedroom ones. Of these 106 dwellings, half have been have been allocated as affordable housing and 12 one-bedroom apartments are designated as almshouses for the Butchers and Drovers Charitable Institution.

Current status