Rural workhouses

Rural workhouses were institutions established in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the countryside to provide aid to impoverished individuals and families. They offered shelter, food, and employment in exchange for labor, often involving farming or manual tasks. Designed to deter dependence on charity, workhouses aimed to support the destitute while promoting self-sufficiency. Conditions varied, but they were generally austere settings focused on hard work and minimal comfort, functioning as a social safety net for those in need, especially in rural communities where alternative relief was limited.