1891 census - name index of Workhouse Inmates
The Walsingham Union Workhouse (now derelict) is on the outskirts of Great Snoring,
Walsingham Poor Law Union was formed on 12th April 1836. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 53 in number, representing its 50 constituent parishes.
A new Walsingham Union workhouse was erected in 1836 at Great Snoring. The Poor Law Commissioners authorised an expenditure of £5,900 on construction of the building which was intended to accommodate up to 250 inmates.
It was designed by William Thorold who was also the architect of workhouses for the Depwade, Thetford, and Guiltcross Unions. His design for Walsingham was based on Sampson Kempthorne's model cruciform plan published by the Poor Law Commissioners in 1835. However, the outer buildings at Walsingham gave the workhouse an octagonal rather than the more usual square perimeter.
It had a entrance range at the east which contained the porter's lodge, board-room, offices and so on. To the rear, radiating from the central supervisory hub, were four accommodation wings for the various classes of inmate (male/female, old/able-bodied etc.). The areas between the wings were divided in segregated exercise yards. Service and workshop buildings formed the octagonal perimeter of the workhouse. A chapel was situated to the east of the main building