The Workhouse at Southwell will be open every day in August for the first time.

The popular Graft, Gruel and Good-for-Nothings living history day returns on Wednesday, 29 July, from noon-4pm giving visitors the opportunity to step back in time to the 1850s, encounter Workhouse characters and get involved in picking oakum, doing the laundry and joining a school lesson. Master and Matron who featured in the recent BBC1 series 24 Hours in the Past will be keeping order.

Each week during August there are various activities running on regular days. On Mondays from noon-4pm experience chance encounters with Workhouse characters at Pop-up paupers. On Wednesdays 5, 12 and 19 August, noon-3.30pm, family craft days give children the chance to try their hand at Victorian arts and crafts with a different theme each week

Every Friday in August the Pauper’s Yarn family tour offers visitors the opportunity to join a pauper inmate and find out what life was really like in The Workhouse.

For garden and cookery enthusiasts, Pauper Pickings is a must. On every Saturday during August, visitors can explore the garden and with the help of a pauper gardener and fill a bag full of their chosen vegetables. The garden will be abundant with the heritage varieties of vegetables at this time of year.

From 24 July a new art installation, BlindSpot by Tim Shore, can be viewed on the top floor of The Workhouse. A projection of sunlight and shadows, accompanied by voice and music played on The Workhouse harmonium suggests the lives of inmates of the now empty institution. The installation runs until the end of season on 1 November. Normal admission charges apply.

For more information about The Workhouse, opening times and admission prices go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk/theworkhouse