Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse

With our Norfolk Museum Pass running out at the end of July and the new Voices From The Workhouse exhibitions now open I wanted to take one last trip to Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse.

We have saved an incredible amount of money with the museum pass over the last 12 months-so much so that we wore the card out! I decided not to renew just yet though as we had recently signed up for a National Trust membership instead and find that one membership is enough.

I love Gressenhall as there's so much for everyone to do and see. The children love the farm animals and tractor & trailer trips and I love wandering around the farmhouse garden taking in all of the beautiful flowers. There's also a stamp trail that follows a riverside walk, a fantastic woodland play area, recreated village street, school house, chapel and of course the extensive workhouse museum. There are regular event days where there are even more activities for the children but we went on a non-event day.

We started off in the farmyard and took a trailer ride, with Harry using it as a good excuse for some Extreme Reading photos.

Extreme reading on the bumpy trailer

We then walked through the farm, along the river for the stamp trail and then took a rest by the farmhouse. The children 'milked' and sat in the anderson shelter before trying the water pump, disappointed to find that it wasn't working, while I wandered peacefully through the farmhouse flower garden.

Gorgeous Large Black piglets

More extreme reading

Spotted during the riverside walk

Suffolk Punches

Milkmaids

One barn we usually miss is the one with the farming equipment. The boys loved using the stone to turn wheat into flour and I sat watching the bird box webcams.

Making flour

After that we headed back towards the village stores and school. The children took turns in acting as convincingly terrifying head teachers!

We grabbed a light lunch in the cafe (the homemade scones are to die for!) and then the children spent some time making disguises in the art room. Usually these activities can be very busy during school holidays but we had plenty of space. The activities are free but voluntary donations can be made. Harry decided, unsurprisingly, to disguise himself as Hulk.

I loved the sculptures that greeted us as we walked into the workhouse. I was very impressed with the new set up and exhibitions. We even had to walk through separate entrances-Dad through one door, Mum & children through the other-recreating what would have happened if we had turned up at the workhouse for support.

The children love interactive displays and hate museums where they can't touch anything, especially Harry, but this one if very much hands on.  They tried out costumes, beds, puzzles and more and loved getting stuck in.

Reading the stories of some of the children in the workhouse and seeing a tiny child's boot is heartbreaking and makes me realise just how lucky we truly are.

Such a beautiful garden

As we headed outside towards the laundry we noticed a new swing, similar to the one masters would had made for children resident in the workhouse. There were also some small wooden wheelbarrows for the children to play with while hubby and I took another well-earned rest. I also spent some time looking at all of the names scratched into the bricks of the wall, wondering what happened to those inmates (what a horrible term) and wondering if they ever managed to leave the workhouse and enjoy a better life afterwards.

Rather harsh punishment for what my children do every night!

Three examples of workhouse masters through the ages

Dolls with outfits made by the daughter of a workhouse master

Original flooring uncovered during renovations

There were more interactive displays in the laundry-one in particular which really turns your nose. Can you imagine working amongst all those smells and noises, day in, day out?

One of my favourite items in the workhouse: Lorina Bulwer  created this sampler during her time in Great Yarmouth workhouse. The text refers to her frustration at the situation she is in.

"Are you going to try the hats on?" I asked. I didn't think he'd wear them all at once!

I had promised the children half an hour on the woodland playground once we had finished looking at the parts I was most interested in so they ran off at 100mph and burnt off lots of energy. They were having so much fun that we stayed there for nearly an hour and it was soon the site closing time.

We have spent many a happy day here and it's easy to fill an entire day, no matter how many times you visit.