Campden Workhouse
Judith Ellis
Campden’s workhouse was demolished in the 1830’s after the new Union Workhouse was built in Shipston and the ‘inmates’ were transferred there.
But there is an echo of it in Gainsborough Terrace, a nearby row of cottages built using the stone from the redundant building. The cottages, built by the Earl of Gainsborough for his labourers, were initially named Mount Plesent [sic] Row, perhaps to remove the taint of the workhouse for those living there.
The story of the building is attached. Further research is being done to get some idea of the life of the people who lived there.
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My grandmother rented one of the cottages in Gainsborough Terrace from approx early 1950s to approx early 1980s. We stayed with her in the school holidays. The terrace was known to the residents and to locals as Workhouse Bank. It was accessed by a steep unmade road from Sheep street and there was a row of pigstys near to number one Gainsborough terrace. The houses were lit by gas lamps downstairs and candles upstairs until electricity was installed in the mid 1960s.
There was a cold water tap in the scullery and an outside loo adjoining the shed where my grandmother kept her coal supply. I can remember the names of some of the other residents. Gainsborough Terrace was, I believe, owned by a local farmer Eric (?) Haines. I think my grandfather worked for him, as did my uncle.
You will see from the ‘download’ on this page that Gainsborough Cottages were built using stone from the workhouse. We do have some sources in our Archives that would give you a bit more information – depends what you are looking for. If you are living locally and would like to come in and look we will happily agree a time.
We would love to know more about the history of the current cottages in Gainsboro terrace so if anyone can help that would be amazing
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