Speaking with shadows: The Workhouse at Framlingham Castle

·37 min·3 clips

How did a 12th-century castle become a workhouse for the poor, and what does that reveal about social care?

The episode begins with Josie Long introducing the series Speaking with Shadows, which uncovers forgotten stories from England's past. She travels to Framlingham Castle in Suffolk, noting its fame from musician Ed Sheeran but focusing on its historical significance. Historian Jeremy Ashby explains the castle's 12th-century origins and its shift in the 16th century after the dissolution of monasteries, which ended traditional social care. Ashby details the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601, which categorized the poor into three groups: the idle poor, impotent poor, and those who could work. He discusses Sir Robert Hitcham, a wealthy lawyer who bought the castle in 1635 and left a will to establish a workhouse for the able-bodied poor, leading to the construction of the Red House in the 1660s. The workhouse initially provided tools and relief without requiring residence. In the 18th century, the Natchpool Act introduced a workhouse test, mandating residence and stricter discipline. Josie meets volunteer Anthony Wooding, who researches pauper records, revealing stories like James Gooding's imprisonment and Jeremiah Marjoram's theft. Records show inmates like Mary Carter and Elizabeth Woodward frequently ran away, resisting institutional control. An 1824 account book lists food and drink for 27 people, including beer and meat, with increased spending at Christmas. Workhouse historian Peter Higginbotham joins to discuss the 1834 Poor Law, which aimed to deter the poor by making workhouses unattractive and ending outdoor relief. He explains factors like rising costs, corruption, and changing attitudes that led to this shift. Higginbotham notes scandals like the Andover workhouse in 1845, where inmates fought over bones due to underfeeding. By the late 19th century, workhouses evolved to care for the elderly and sick, eventually becoming part of the NHS or old people's homes after 1948. Josie reflects on how the episode challenges common perceptions of workhouses as uniformly cruel, showing their varied history and connection to modern debates on poverty and social care.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The English Heritage Podcast