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The Workhouse and Infirmary
Atmospheric Georgian Workhouse and Victorian Infirmary
Upton Road, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0PT
Opening times for 19 September 2024
Asset Opening time Workhouse 10:30 - 16:00 Café 10:30 - 15:00 Firbeck Infirmary 10:30 - 16:00 Last entry to the site is 15.00. May close early due to low light levels or high winds/extreme weather.
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Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £16.50 £15.00 Child £8.30 £7.50 Family £41.30 £37.50 1 adult, up to 3 children £24.80 £22.50 Group Adult £14.25 Group Child £7.13 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Bookshop
Second-hand bookshop.
Dogs allowed
Dogs are allowed in the car park and front field but are not permitted in the house or garden. Assistance dogs only in the house and garden.
Café
Café located in Firbeck Infirmary. Indoor and outdoor seating available. The café is open for hot and cold drinks, soup, pasties, snacks, cakes and ice cream. Other than in the cafe, food and drink is not permitted inside the buildings.
Family friendly
Car park
Free parking, 200 yards from Workhouse in visitor car park
Guided tour
Guided tour available on a first-come first-served basis at 11am each day of opening. Guided tour not guaranteed.
Coffee shop
Picnic area
Cycle parking
Toilet
Toilets are available at visitor reception and in Firbeck Infirmary. There are not toilets available in The Workhouse main building.
Blue Badge parking. Accessible toilets. Ramped entrances. Upper floors are stairs only. Partly accessible outdoors route.
Accessible route and/or map
Level access/terrain
Accessible toilet
Lift
There is a lift in the Firbeck Infirmary but not in The Workhouse
Braille (guide or menu)
Narrow corridors
There are a few areas with narrow access in the workhouse main building.
Designated parking
Photograph album
Drop-off point
Ramped access/slopes
Induction loop
Seating available
Large print (guide or menu)
Virtual tour
Level access to food outlet
Wheelchairs available
By road
13 miles from Nottingham on A612 and 8 miles from Newark via A617 and A612.
Parking: Free
Sat Nav: Please note, some services such as Google Maps will not send you to our front entrance. To help, please look for The Workhouse on 'Upton Road, NG25 0QB'.
On foot
Robin Hood Way
By train
Newark Castle 7 miles; Newark North Gate 7½ miles; Nottingham 13 miles
By bus
regular services from Newark, Nottingham and Mansfield bus stations
Planning your visit
A Victorian Gentlemen's Guide To Self Defence
Come along to the Workhouse and Infirmary in Southwell for a live re-enactment of Victorian self-defence. Foreign Field Living History Group will bring to life the art of self-defence such as unarmed combat, how to fight with your everyday possessions and much more, on Saturday 28 September and Sunday 29 September. This form of self-defence would have been taught to Victorian upper-class people in the late 19th Century so they could defend themselves against those who may have ended up in workhouses.
Bi-centenary banner
The Bi-centenary Banner produced by local artist Vanessa Stone has taken pride of place at the Workhouse and Infirmary. The colourful and collaborative piece is now hung up on permanent display in the exhibition area. Created in July, the banner was based on an original black and white drawing that Vanessa scaled up and had printed onto 100% cotton. Visitors of all ages came along and coloured it in with all sorts of animals, patterns, colours and people.
Highlights
The Workhouse
Workhouse built in 1824, a last-resort refuge for the poor and destitute, now one of the best-preserved examples in the country.
Firbeck Infirmary
Infirmary which supported ill Workhouse inmates, eventually adapting its role and response to care until decommission in the 1980s.
Kitchen Garden
Various vegetable plots, orchards and rich pasture that once supplied food for Workhouse inmates, now nurtured by volunteers for purchasable produce.
Firbeck Café
Comfortable and reflective café offering hot and cold drinks, soups, sandwiches, snacks and cakes with seating indoors and outdoors.
Spotlight events
Events at the Workhouse and Infirmary
Becher Walk
Follow Becher on an historical 2.5 mile walking tour of Southwell as he highlights his connections with the town as a churchman, magistrate and social reformer during a period of great change.
A Victorian Gentleman's Guide to Self Defence
Come along to the Workhouse and Infirmary in Southwell for a live re-enactment of Victorian self-defence. Foreign Field Living History Group will bring to life the art of self-defence such as unarmed combat, how to fight with your everyday possessions and much more, on Saturday 28 September and Sunday 29 September. This form of self-defence would have been taught to Victorian upper-class people in the late 19th Century so they could defend themselves against those who may have ended up in workhouses. This is an exciting opportunity to see live action and hear tales on The Victorian Gentleman's Guide to Self Defence. Performances will take place at 11.30am, 12.45pm and 2.15pm on both days.
Things to see and do
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Things to see and do at The Workhouse and Infirmary
Find out more about visiting The Workhouse and Infirmary, where guided tours, exhibitions and activities help bring to life the stories of the people who had to work to receive food, shelter and medical care here.
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The kitchen garden at The Workhouse
From plot to pauper plate, explore the recreated Victorian vegetable garden and admire the range of heritage varieties grown.
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Family-friendly things to do at The Workhouse and Infirmary
Entertain the whole family at The Workhouse and Infirmary. Discover unique stories in the atmospheric buildings, go on an adventure in the grounds and stop for a bite to eat in Firbeck Cafe. You'll also find plenty of hands-on activities for everyone to discover, from active trails to digital devices.
Eating
Eating at The Workhouse
Located on the ground floor of Firbeck Infirmary, the café serves a range of hot and cold drinks, seasonal meals and sweet treats. Whether you’re popping by for a takeaway coffee, staying for lunch or collecting supplies for a picnic, you’ll find something that hits the spot.
Upcoming events
Event
Written on the Workhouse Walls
Watch out for thieves or hit the road quick? Become a secret sign sleuth with Written on the Workhouse Walls, a fun family trail to celebrate the bicentenary of the Workhouse.
Event
Becher Walk
Step back in time and join Reverend John T. Becher, founder of The Workhouse, on a tour of Southwell.
Event
Workhouse Walkers
Come and enjoy a social walk around Southwell and discover more of the local area surrounding The Workhouse.
Event
A Victorian Gentlemen's Guide To Self Defense
Come and discover the art of self defense Victorian style. An experience where elegance meets empowerment.
Event
Workhouse Walkers
Come and enjoy a social walk around Southwell and discover more of the local area surrounding The Workhouse.
Event
Bramley Apple Day at The Workhouse
As part of Southwell's Bramley Apple Day, take our longest apple peel challenge.....
Event
Workhouse Walkers
Come and enjoy a social walk around Southwell and discover more of the local area surrounding The Workhouse.
About The Workhouse and Infirmary
Built in 1824 as a last resort for many people, this rural workhouse is one of the best preserved and most complete in England. It was designed to house around 160 inmates, who lived and worked in a strictly segregated environment with virtually no contact between the old and infirm, able-bodied men and women, and children.
As the site developed, Firbeck Infirmary was built in 1871 to care for those deemed too ill to be housed in the workhouse. Here you can glimpse the beginnings of an emerging healthcare system, as social care evolved.
Interactive media, personal objects and the stories of those who lived and worked here help to bring the history to life.
'An empty workhouse is a successful one' - Rev. J T Becher (founder of Southwell Workhouse)
History
Discover tales of inmates and patients at The Workhouse and Infirmary with Findmypast
In collaboration with family history website Findmypast, we've been exploring the 1921 Census of England and Wales. It's helped us get closer to the lives of people at The Workhouse and Infirmary, where we've revealed dozens more stories of inmates and patients from the last decade of The Workhouse era. Discover more about these stories at The Workhouse and Infirmary, as well as research from nine other places in our care. By clicking this link, you’ll access a third-party website. Please see their privacy policy for how they handle your personal data.
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A history of workhouses and the Firbeck Infirmary
Learn about the concept and the history of The Workhouse and Firbeck Infirmary and the role that they played.
Art and collections
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Collections at The Workhouse and Firbeck Infirmary
Take a sneak peek into the treasure trove that is the collection of The Workhouse and Infirmary and learn what these objects tell us about the history of this special place.
Our work
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Our work at The Workhouse and Firbeck Infirmary
Discover how we care for The Workhouse, Southwell and the items in its collection, including original Victorian wallpaper from the Firbeck Infirmary.
Project
Project
Re-imagining The Workhouse
Learn how a project to restore Firbeck Infirmary unfolded, the stories being told and how it’s helping to shape conversation about care, 150 years after it first opened.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with The Workhouse.