Heritage Open Day: In our 200th anniversary year, come and walk up paupers’ path and unearth what life was like for the people who sought refuge at The Workhouse and Infirmary. Behind every door is a story and the Workhouse and Infirmary bears witness to over 160 years of changing social policy and attitudes towards the poor and vulnerable in society. Built in 1824 for up to 158 inmates, the Workhouse is one of the best-preserved examples of the hundreds of workhouses built across the country.
Explore why people came here in our 1921 census exhibition in partnership with Findmypast and trace their physical route. Discover how vagrants created a secret code language as they moved from workhouse to workhouse through our children’s trail.