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Norfolk: Poor Law
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Workhouses before 1834
This is a list of additional information about some of the many workhouses (and poorhouses) which existed in Norfolk before 1834. Some of these were owned or rented by the parish. In some cases the parish ran them and in others people were hired to do the job. Almshouses also exist in some parishes. For further information see the Norfolk Record Office catalogue.
Workhouses arranged by location
| Place | Known Information | Post 1834 Union or Incorporation |
|---|---|---|
| Acle | Workhouse built c.1788 for the Acle Gilbert Union | Blofield |
| Ashill | Workhouse built 1778-1780. | Swaffham |
| Ashwellthorpe | "W1836" states - "The Workhouse was built about 45 years ago, on 10 acres of land, enclosed from the common, to which 2A. were allotted at the enclosure in 1811." Sold after 1834. | Depwade |
| Aylsham | Workhouse existed 1788 - room for 80 inmates. In Millgate street in 1808. | Aylsham |
| Banham | "W1836" states - "An old building, called the Guildhall now rented as the workhouse" | Guiltcross |
| Bawdeswell | Workhouse built 1785 for the Bawdeswell Gilbert Union | Mitford and Launditch |
| Booton | Workhouse built c.1786 for the Booton Gilbert Union | St Faith's |
| Bressingham | Had a Workhouse by 1817. | Guiltcross |
| Brinton | Workhouse built c.1786 for the Brinton Gilbert Union | Walsingham |
| Briston | Had a Workhouse by 1834. "W1836" states "The almshouses given by Messrs Burridge and Toolye, about 1650, were for some time used as the Workhouse, but are now free residences for the aged poor." | Erpingham |
| Buckenham, New (New Buckenham) | Workhouse by 1783 near Crown Inn. | Guiltcross |
| Buckenham, Old (Old Buckenham) | Guardians Minute Books show payments in 1836 while Guiltcross being built. | Guiltcross |
| Bunwell | Had a Workhouse by 1783. | Depwade |
| Burlingham St Edmund | Workhouse sold 1838? Part of Acle Gilbert Union. | Blofield |
| Buxton | Workhouse built 1801 for the Buxton Gilbert Union | Aylsham |
| Carleton Rode | Had a Workhouse by 1786 | Depwade |
| Castle Rising | Had a Workhouse by 1800. | Freebridge Lynn |
| Cawston | Workhouse built after 1740 - 70 paupers ("W1836") - sold 1856 | Aylsham |
| Cley next the Sea | "W1836" states "The Workhouse is now divided into tenements for poor families" Workhouse sold in c.1850. | Erpingham |
| Denver | Had a Workhouse by 1786. | Downham |
| Dereham, East (East Dereham) | 1758 - Workhouse at the bottom of Sandy Lane. 1776-1801 Joined Mitford and Launditch Incorporation. 1801 - East Dereham obtained an Act by which it was separated from the incorporation. New Workhouse built at Union Drift off the Norwich Road. | Mitford and Launditch |
| Dersingham | Had a Workhouse by 1825. | Docking |
| Dickleburgh | Guildhall or Townhouse west of Church 1729. Workhouse 1775-1817 and demolition order for 1836. "W1836" gives "Samuel Drane governer of the workhouse." | Depwade |
| Diss | Workhouse was built about 1730 and converted to Almshouses in about 1838 | Depwade |
| Downham Market | Had a Workhouse by 1823. | Downham |
| Edgefield | Had a Workhouse by 1827. "W1836" states - "On the heath is a House of Industry, erected under Gilbert's Act for 50 paupers." | Erpingham |
| Ellingham, Great (Great Ellingham) | Had a Workhouse by 1800. | Wayland |
| Fakenham | Had a Workhouse by 1801. "W1836" states - "The Workhouse, a neat building, 1 mile E. of town was erected in 1830, under Gilbert's Act, at a cost of £2000, to accomodate 100 paupers but it has seldom more than 30 inmates. It has a garden, occupying 8¼A. enclosed from the heath." "W1854" states - "Workhouse sold in 1837". | Walsingham |
| Forncett | "W1836" gives a resident - "Drake? Thos. Sl. gov. Workhouse." | Depwade |
| Foulsham | 1782 - built on the waste - accomodates 45 people ("W1836") 1819-1835 - Parish Workhouse records at NRO (reference MC 1337/1). 1836 - Joined Union. | Aylsham |
| Garboldisham | Guardians Minute Books show payments in 1836 while Guiltcross being built. | Guiltcross |
| Gimingham | Workhouse built 1805 for the Gimingham Gilbert Union | Erpingham |
| Gressenhall | Mitford and Launditch Incorporation Workhouse built 1777. | Mitford and Launditch |
| Harling, East (East Harling) | Had a Workhouse by 1800. | Guiltcross |
| Heckingham | Loddon and Clavering Incorporation Workhouse built 1764. | Loddon and Clavering |
| Heydon | Workhouse built c.1797 | Aylsham |
| Hilgay | Workhouse converted into a National School in 1838 (W1864) | Downham |
| Hindolveston | Had a Workhouse by c.1786. | Aylsham |
| Hockwold cum Wilton | Workhouse sold 1838 | Thetford |
| Holkham | c.1782 - Holkham joined with Warham All Saints and Warham St. Mary to support their poor. | Walsingham |
| Holt | Workhouse 1780-1836. "W1836" states - "The Workhouse on the Heath built in 1779, when 50A. of land enclosed from the waste, and is now the parish farm." | Erpingham |
| Horsham St Faiths | Workhouse built 1805 for the St Faiths Gilbert Union | St Faith's |
| Kenninghall | Repair of Workhouse 1808. | Guiltcross |
| Kings Lynn | Kings Lynn Incorporation Workhouse built 1682. | Kings Lynn |
| Lopham, North (North Lopham) | Guardians Minute Books show payments in 1836 while Guiltcross being built. | Guiltcross |
| Lopham, South (South Lopham) | Guardians Minute Books show payments in 1836 while Guiltcross being built. | Guiltcross |
| Mulbarton | "W1836" states that the Workhouse was built sometime after 1677. | Henstead |
| Necton | Workhouse by 1780. | Swaffham |
| Northwold | Had a Workhouse by 1787 with 13 people in it according to the 1787 census | Thetford |
| Norwich | Norwich Incorporation Workhouse built c.1712. | Norwich |
| Oulton | Workhouse built 1792 for the Oulton Gilbert Union | Aylsham |
| Pickenham, North (North Pickenham) | Had a Workhouse by 1778 which was sold in 1844. | Swaffham |
| Pulham St Mary the Virgin | "W1836" states - "The Workhouse was erected under Gilbert's act, about 10 years ago, when 10 acres of land was annexed to it from the South common." Site was just East of Station Road - Grid Ref is TM2071584350 | Depwade |
| Redenhall (with Harleston) | Had a Workhouse by 1740. | Depwade |
| Reedham | Had a Workhouse by 1777. Joined Acle Gilbert Union sometime between 1788 and 1832 | Blofield |
| Reepham | Workhouse built 1808 for the Hackford Gilbert Union | Aylsham |
| Rollesby | Flegg Incorporation Workhouse built 1776. | Flegg |
| Salle | Had a Workhouse by 1786. | Aylsham |
| Shelfanger | Workhouse by 1833. | Guiltcross |
| Sheringham | Workhouse built 1805 for the Aldborough Gilbert Union | Erpingham |
| Smallburgh | Tunstead & Happing Incorporation Workhouse built 1785. | Tunstead & Happing |
| South Lynn | Workhouse in Friar Street built before 1776. Used until c. 1826 | Kings Lynn |
| Sporle-with-Palgrave | Workhouse sold in 1836/8? and converted into 6 cottages. | Swaffham |
| Stow Bardolph | See Wimbotsham entry | Downham |
| Stradsett | See Wimbotsham entry | Downham |
| Swaffham | Workhouse by 1768. | Swaffham |
| Thorpe St Andrew | Had a Workhouse by 1785 ("W1836") | Blofield |
| Tibenham | Had a Workhouse by 1814 | Depwade |
| Thetford | Records from 1635. Thetford St Cuthbert - Workhouse by 1797. Thetford St Mary - Workhouse sold 1836. Thetford St Peter - Workhouse before 1833. | Thetford |
| Tottenhill | See Wimbotsham entry | Downham |
| Walsham, North (North Walsham) | Parish workhouse here before 1776. Old Workhouse sold and new built in 1786 ("W1836"). Location near Catspit Lane/ Workhouse Loke | Erpingham |
| Walsingham, Great (Great Walsingham) | Had a "House of Industry" in "Wesgate Hall" by 1784. | Walsingham |
| Walsingham, Little (Little Walsingham) | Premises called "Old Workhouse" in 1852. Active and located in High Street ("W1836"). | Walsingham |
| Warham All Saints | c.1782 - Holkham joined with Warham All Saints and Warham St. Mary to support their poor. | Walsingham |
| Warham St. Mary | c.1782 - Holkham joined with Warham All Saints and Warham St. Mary to support their poor. | Walsingham |
| Wells next the Sea | Had a Workhouse in Parsonage Street in 1793 with 43 people in it according to the census of that year. "W1836" states - "The Workhouse will accomodate from 60 to 90 paupers but seldom has more than 40." | Walsingham |
| Wicklewood | Forehoe Incorporation Workhouse built 1777. | Forehoe |
| Wighton | Had a Workhouse by 1789. | Walsingham |
| Wimbotsham | "W1836" states - "in the village is a Workhouse, for the parishes of Wimbotsham, Stow Bardolph, Stradsett, and Tottenhill." | Downham |
| Winfarthing | Had a workhouse by 1810. There were 29 named people in it as noticed in entry 68 on Page 41 of the 1811 census. See also the 1821 census when there were 21 named paupers. | Guiltcross |
| Witchingham, Great (Great Witchingham) | 1757 - Workhouse built on common - "W1836". Had a Workhouse between 1789-1835. This was situated in Morse Close which leads to Common Lane in Lenwade at Grid Ref. TG0964118350. | St Faith's |
| Wood Norton | Had a Workhouse before 1834. | Aylsham |
| Wymondham | Workhouse in town from 1631. Had at least 44 occupants in 1747 population census. This was superceeded by the Forehoe Incorporation Workhouse built 1777. | Forehoe |
| Yarmouth, Great (Great Yarmouth) | Great Yarmouth Workhouse built c.1650's. | Great Yarmouth |
References to "W1836" are to William White's 1836 gazetteer and directory of Norfolk and "W1854" is a directory published by the same company in 1854.
Further information can be found:
- about locations in the Towns and Parishes pages.
- about which hundred a parish occurs in.
See also the Poor Law page and the Post 1834 Unions page
These pages are for personal use only. They may not be copied, and the links within them may not be harvested for use on your own web pages. Please see the Copyright Notice.
Copyright © Mike Bristow.
July 2016