Nantwich’s First Workhouse
A building at the end of Beam Street, formerly the town house of the Mainwaring family, was used as the town’s first workhouse and house of correction from 1677 to 1748.
The Barony Workhouse
The present building was constructed in 1779–1780 at the Barony on Beam Heath (then a common outside the town) on 11½ acres (4.7 ha) of land donated by the Marquess of Cholmondeley.
Nantwich Poor Law Union
In 1834 Nantwich Workhouse was substantially enlarged, by Nantwich architect George Latham – see here for more information.
Nantwich Poor Law Union was formed on 18 February 1837. It served 86 parishes and townships and had an elected governing board of 88 guardians.
Transferred to Local Authority
In 1929, the workhouse and its associated buildings were converted into a Public Assistance Institution. It later became the Barony Hospital, and parts of the site are still used by the NHS today.
Further Information
There is more information about Nantwich Workhouse on our website here.
We also offer a Workhouse Trail.
You can read more about the Barony Hospital here.
A member of our Research Group has prepared a list of people who were either working, or lived, in Nantwich Workhouse. You can search this here.
Workhouses in general
For information about workhouses in general, this site is excellent.
Family Search provide maps of the Poor Law Unions which, for instance, shows which parishes were in Nantwich Union.
The National Archives has an anonymous letter from a pauper, covering the brutality of the master and inhumanity of the regime in Nantwich Workhouse in 1839. You can access that here.
Several Workhouse are now museums, which you can visit. Below are some of the ones relatively near to Nantwich:
Weaver Hall Museum is situated in the building that was Northwich Workhouse (which was also designed by George Latham) – more information here.
Y Dolydd – Llanfyllin’s Workhouse – Llanfyllin’s Workhouse, Y Dolydd, is about 45 miles from Nantwich; there’s more information about here.
Southwell Workhouse – The National Trust own a workhouse in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, which is about 86 miles from Nantwich – more information here.
Help Wanted
Nantwich Museum are preparing a detailed publication about Nantwich Workhouse. We would love to hear from you, if you have anything to contribute.