The Workhouse and Infirmary

WHAT IT’S LIKE

A rare, atmospheric Georgian workhouse and Victorian infirmary near Southwell, kids' trails and costumed characters bring the history alive, with free parking a short walk away.

Built in 1824 as a last resort for the poor, this rural workhouse is one of the best preserved and most complete in England, it housed around 160 inmates in a strictly segregated world of old and infirm, able-bodied men and women, and children. The Infirmary, added in 1871, cared for those too ill for the workhouse itself, and interactive media, personal objects and residents' own stories bring the history to life for older children especially. There's a lift in the Infirmary but the upper floors of the Workhouse are stairs-only, with some narrow corridors, so buggies and wheelchairs won't get everywhere. Families get children's trails (like the Cheer Up Chuckaboo Trail hunting for Victorian slang), seasonal activities, dress-up and a Summer of Play with a Victorian twist, think Tin Can Alley and giant board games. Costumed characters appear for Tales from The Workhouse, and there's even playful children's yoga on Wednesdays in August. School groups can do self-led educational visits themed around 1840s life. The café is in the Infirmary, with indoor and outdoor seating (including a dog-friendly area outside) serving hot and cold drinks, pasties, croque monsieurs, bakes and ice cream, but no food or drink is allowed inside the historic buildings themselves, so save the picnic for the picnic area. There's a second-hand bookshop with a children's corner too. Free parking is 200 metres from the property, with accessible/Blue Badge spaces in the main car park and two mobility scooters available to borrow. Under 5s go free, and it's free entry for National Trust members.