Union Workhouse, Williton, Somerset
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library
Union Workhouse, Williton, Somerset
The Williton Union workhouse, opened in 1840 on Long Street, Williton, Somerset. The building was designed by George Gilbert Scott and William Bonython Moffatt. The site later became Williton Hospital
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 4419159
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10418702
1840 1840s Bonython Gilbert Health L Aw Moffatt Poor Poverty Scott Somerset Workhouse Workhouses Will I Am Williton
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the imposing presence of the Union Workhouse in Williton, Somerset, built in 1840. Designed by renowned architects George Gilbert Scott and William Bonython Moffatt, the building was a symbol of the Victorian welfare system, established to provide shelter, food, and work for the destitute and the poor. The Union Workhouse on Long Street was one of many such institutions that emerged during the 1830s and 1840s as part of the English Poor Law Amendment Act. The image reveals a somber and austere facade, with its high, arched windows and intricate stonework, reflecting the harsh realities of life for those who sought refuge within its walls. The workhouse was a place of last resort for the impoverished, where inmates were expected to work in return for their keep, often in laborious and demeaning tasks. The building later served as Williton Hospital, providing medical care and health services to the community. The Union Workhouse in Williton stands as a poignant reminder of a bygone era, when the welfare system was vastly different from the one we know today. The photograph invites us to reflect on the historical significance of this once-controversial institution and the societal changes that have taken place since its establishment in the 1840s.
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