Built in 1824 as a last resort for many people, this rural workhouse is one of the best preserved and most complete in England. As the site developed, the Infirmary was built in 1871.
Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist painted a bleak picture of life in the workhouse. However, the focus at The Workhouse & Infirmary in Southwell is to show that although harsh and monotonous, aspects such as education, medical care or diet may have been better for the poor than in their own homes. The Workhouse not only tells a powerful and enlightening story of how it provided for the poorest in society but how it was pivotal in the development of our national health and welfare system.
Digital media, personal objects, and the stories of those who lived and worked there help to bring the history of The Workhouse to life. Younger visitors will find plenty of hands-on activities to enjoy like weighing ingredients in the kitchen, writing on slate in the school room, and experiencing the jobs of the paupers, as well as handling items, sitting on the beds, and dressing up.
Please see website for opening times
Adult (18+): £15.00
Child (5-17): £7.50
Family (2 Adults and up to 3 children): £37.50
Family (1 adult and up to 3 children): £22.50
Group (Adult 18+): £14.25
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