The Workhouse & Infirmary

Home
United Kingdom
Southwell
The Workhouse & Infirmary

Call Directions Website Contact the museum

Built in 1824, Southwell Workhouse is one of the best preserved workhouses in England. Discover the most complete workhouse in existence.
(315)

Find out about the Reverend Becher, the founder of The Workhouse and immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of the building. Learn about the true stories of the 19th-century poor, brought to life by real archive evidence. Discover how society dealt with poverty through the centuries right up to the modern day. Explore the segregated work yards, day rooms, dormitories, master's quarters and cellars, then see the recreated working 19th-century garden and find out what food the paupers would have eaten.

21/10/2026

🍏 It’s Apple Day today and we can't wait to celebrate at our annual apple celebrations on Saturday.

Come and enjoy an autumn day at The Workhouse & Infirmary with challenges, music and treats - and free admission!

🍎 Take on the longest apple peel challenge
🎶 Hear performances by the Pauper Choir
💚 Treat yourself to an apple crumble scone

We look forward to welcoming you.

📆 Saturday 24 October
🕥 10.30–16.00 (last entry 15.00)
🎟 No booking required

Find out more at: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/theworkhouse

18/10/2026

🍂 What's happening this half term at The Workhouse & Infirmary?

With family-friendly activities, seasonal celebrations and fascinating stories bringing the Workhouse to life, there's plenty to enjoy.

🍮 Plum Pudding Trail | everyday
Search for the ingredients needed to make a traditional Victorian pudding.

🌿 Garden Tour | 21 October
Discover more about the history of the kitchen garden, 12.00.

👒 Tales from The Workhouse | 19, 26 & 31 October
Hear stories of the people who lived and worked.

🔎 Family-friendly indoor tour | Thursdays, 11.45
A fun way for younger visitors to explore the site whatever the weather. Book on arrival.

🍎 Celebrate Bramley Apple Day | 24 October
Enjoy apple-themed activities, performances from the Pauper Choir and delicious apple treats in the café.

🌿 Quiet Hours | 25 October, from 8.30
For visitors who would benefit from a calmer visit, we’ll be opening early.

Open every day through the Nottinghamshire school holiday, no booking required.

More details at: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/theworkhouse

📷 Johanna Mather/David Kissman

15/10/2026

Have you ever noticed the black drainpipes at The Workhouse?

Running down either side of the central section of the building, these drainpipes did much more than carry rainwater away.

They channelled it into a huge underground tank beneath the male back courtyard and kitchen, with a capacity of 35,000 gallons!

A hatch in the kitchen floor and a pump in the courtyard allowed staff to access the stored water for drinking, cooking, washing, and bathing.

And here’s a surprising twist. Despite the challenging conditions people faced at the Workhouse, there are no recorded cases of waterborne disease. In an age when diseases such as cholera devastated communities living in overcrowded city slums, the Workhouse’s rainwater collection system offers an intriguing insight into how water was managed here.

Next time you visit, see if you can spot all the elements of this clever system 👀

12/10/2026

Don’t miss the final Becher Walk of the year.

Step back in time and join Reverend John T. Becher, founder of The Workhouse, on a guided tour of Southwell.

This 2.5-mile historical walk explores the town during a time of great change, as Becher shares his story as a churchman, magistrate and social reformer, bringing the past to life along the way.

📅 Wednesday 4 November
🕰 10.45 - 12.30
📍 Meet in the visitor car park
🎟 Free event

Free event but due to limited spaces, booking is advised at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/the-workhouse-and-infirmary/events/12d43aec-ec39-4fe1-b58f-91b79dd0f2e7

📷 David Kissman/Tammy Herd

05/10/2026

🍂🎃 Make some autumn memories this half term.

From Saturday 17 October - Sunday 1 November, there’s plenty to discover, with family-friendly activities, seasonal celebrations and fascinating stories bringing the Workhouse to life.

🍮 Follow the Plum Pudding Trail | everyday
Search for the ingredients needed to make a traditional Victorian pudding as you explore the site.

🎃 Get creative with pumpkin decorating | 17 October
Choose a homegrown pumpkin and create your own autumn decoration with natural materials.

🌿 Discover the historic garden | 21 October
Join our Garden Tour and uncover more about the garden and its fascinating history.

👒 Meet our costumed interpreters | 17, 19, 26 & 31 October
Hear Tales from the Workhouse as stories of the people who lived and worked here are brought to life through storytelling.

🔎 Try our new family-friendly indoor tour | Thursdays, 11.45
We’re piloting a new tour especially for families, offering a fun way for younger visitors to explore the site whatever the weather. Places are limited, so book when you arrive.

🍎 Celebrate Bramley Apple Day | 24 October
Enjoy apple-themed activities, performances from the Pauper Choir and delicious apple treats in the café.

🌿 Quiet Hours | 25 October, from 8.30
For visitors who would benefit from a calmer visit, we’ll be opening early.

Open every day through the Nottinghamshire school holiday, no booking required. See our website for full details.

📷 David Kissman/Tammy Herd

30/09/2026

🎃 Pumpkins, straight from our kitchen garden 🍂

Remember our pumpkin harvest? Well, they’ve now made their way to the produce cart and they’re ready to find new homes.

Grown and harvested by our gardens team, there are pumpkins of all shapes and sizes to choose from, for a suggested donation:

🎃 Small – £1
🎃 Medium – £3
🎃 Large – £5

Whether you’re decorating for autumn, getting ready for Halloween or simply fancy bringing a little bit of the Workhouse garden home, there’s plenty to choose from.

And the best bit? Every penny raised goes into helping us care for this very special place 🧡

📷 Paul Kemp

27/09/2026

📚 Looking for an educational visit this November?

We have some availability for school groups on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays throughout November at The Workhouse & Infirmary.

Step back in time and discover what life was like for the poor in the 1840s at one of the best-preserved workhouses in the country.

Our educational visits are self-led and non-facilitated, giving teachers and group leaders the flexibility to explore at their own pace and tailor the visit to their needs.

We can accommodate up to 50 students on the same day, and ask that they are split into smaller groups to explore the buildings.

🔭 Looking further ahead?
We’re also taking bookings for 2027, with visits available from February onwards.

To find out more or book a visit, please contact:
📧 [email protected]
📞 01636 817260

Familiarisation visits for group leaders are advised and are free of charge.

25/09/2026

🐛 Not all of our visitors are welcome ones!

We’ve recently discovered a few insect pests at The Workhouse & Infirmary which can cause damage to our historic collections and interiors.

Carpet beetle larvae, often known as woolly bears, are more active during warm weather, and the recent heat has provided ideal conditions for them to thrive.

To help protect the collections in our care, some of our dedicated volunteers have been busy monitoring and carrying out preventative conservation work.

Woolly bears particularly like natural materials such as wool, feathers and other animal fibres, so regular checks are an important part of what we do.

A little reminder that there’s always lots happening behind the scenes to help protect the property and its collection items for the future.

23/09/2026

🍂 Hello, autumn.

Today marks the autumn equinox – and there’s no mistaking the change of season at The Workhouse & Infirmary.

Our gardens team have been busy harvesting the pumpkins from the kitchen garden, and what a haul! 🎃

From little pumpkins to some rather impressive specimens, they’ve been carefully grown and nurtured through the summer and will be available to visitors on the produce cart from next week.

📷 Emily Malen

21/09/2026

💚 Could you help us make our Saturdays extra special?

We’re looking for friendly, enthusiastic Visitor Engagement Volunteers to join our team on Saturdays.

You don’t need to be a history expert. You just need to enjoy meeting people, sharing stories and helping visitors get the most from their day.

You could be:
✨ Giving visitors a warm welcome
🏠 Bringing the stories of The Workhouse & Infirmary to life
💬 Sharing fascinating facts and answering questions
🌿 Helping people discover the buildings, our collection, and grounds
🤝 Making a real difference to someone’s visit

You’ll get training, support, and the chance to learn more about this fascinating place, while becoming part of a friendly team.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a people person, looking to learn something new or simply have a little time to give, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply, follow the link and type ‘The Workhouse & Infirmary Southwell’ into the search: https://myvolunteering.nationaltrust.org.uk/opportunity-search

Address

The Workhouse, Upton Road
Southwell
NG250PT

Telephone

01636 817260

Website

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/theworkhouse

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Workhouse & Infirmary posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to The Workhouse & Infirmary:

Want your museum to be the top-listed museum in Southwell?