Wincanton Workhouse
 

There were some 18 Workhouses set up in Somerset: Axbridge Bath, Bedminster, Bridgwater, Chard, Clutton, Dulverton, Frome, Keynsham, Langport, Long Ashton, Shepton Mallet, Taunton, Wellington, Wells, Williton, Wincanton and Yeovil.

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Each Workhouse covered several Parishes called Unions and who each provided Guardians, dependent on the size of the parish.

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Conditions in the Workhouse were made deliberately unpleasant to ensure that any requests for entry were a last resort.

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Costs were born by the ratepayers of the town so life was made particularly hard for the people thought to be poor by their own actions. Within the Workhouse the genders were separated along with children who were kept apart from their families except for an hour each day. Wearing a uniform the inmates would be punished if they spoke to each other without permission. The food was deliberately tasteless and was the same day after day. Men women and children could be made to work at boring repetitious tasks such as picking Oakum or stone breaking. Orphan children were also sometimes farmed out to local employer who would pay the Workhouse for their labour. They could even be forcibly emigrated to the colonies.

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