Knighton, Radnorshire

[Up to 1834] [After 1834] [Staff] [Inmates] [Records] [Bibliography] [Links]

Up to 1834

Eden, in his 1797 survey of the poor in England (and parts of Wales), reported of Knighton that:

The Poor till May, 1795, were farmed by a contractor in Ludlow for £148 a year, but are now maintained partly in a workhouse and partly by out-pensions. There are 17 persons in the house, and 12 families receive 17s. a week. The overseers now find a great deal of trouble in managing their Poor, particularly in the Workhouse, which is under a governess, who is perfectly incompetent to enforce obedience. The Poor seldom obey and often beat her, and even among themselves they have continual disputes. The parish regret the change, particularly as the rates will be considerably higher. The breakfast in the Workhouse is milk or broth, dinner mostly meat and vegetables, supper bread and cheese or milk.

After 1834

Knighton Poor Law Union was formed on 9th November, 1836. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 23 in number, representing its 20 constituent parishes as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):

County of Radnor: Bleddfa, Heyhop, Knighton (2), Llanbadarn Fynydd, Llanbister (2), Llandewi Ystradenny, Llanfihangel Beguildy (2), Llanfihangel Rhydithon, Llangynllo, Llannano, Stanage.
County of Hereford: Adforton, Stanway, Paytoe and Grange, Bampton Bryan, Buckton and Coxwall, Walford, Letton and Newton.
County of Salop: Bedstowe, Bettws y Crwyn, Bucknell, Llanvair Waterdine, Stowe.

The population falling within the union at the 1831 census had been 8,719 with parishes ranging in size from Stowe (population 147) to Knighton itself (1,259). The average annual poor-rate expenditure for the period 1834-36 had been £4,003 or 9s.2d. per head of the population.

Knighton Union workhouse was erected in 1837 at the south side of Frydd Lane (later Frydd Road) to the south of Knighton. The Poor Law Commissioners authorised an expenditure of £1,800 on construction of the buildings which was to accommodate 120 inmates. Its design was opened to competition with the selected entry coming from Messrs Jones and Price of Newtown. The workhouse location and layout are shown on the 1903 map below.

Knighton workhouse site, 1903

The building had a rather irregular layout. A long block at the north nearest to the road appears to have the sanitary annexes at each corner typical of infirmary buildings.

To the south lay the H-shaped main blocks, with further small blocks at the western and southern edges of the site. The only surviving old block is the attractive two-storey building at the north-west of the site which was perhaps used for administrative purposes.

Knighton from the north-west, 2000.
© Peter Higginbotham.

In December, 1907, the workhouse was the scene of a major gas explosion which made the slightly unlikely subject for a contemporary postcard.

Knighton workhouse gas explosion, 1907.
© Peter Higginbotham.

By the 1920s, the workhouse was officially known as Offa's Lodge Poor Law Institution. After 1930, the workhouse became a Public Assistance Institution, then after 1948 it joined the new National Health Service as Knighton Hospital. The site is still (2000) occupied by a local hospital but most of the old workhouse buildings have now been replaced.

Staff

1881 Census

Inmates

1881 Census

Records

Powys County Archives Office, County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5LG. Relatively few records survive — holdings include: Guardians' minute books (1901-30); Ledgers (1922-30); List of paupers (1838); etc.

Bibliography

None.