Sir. The first design of this Workhouse was that the expenses of the parish in the maintaining their poor might be contracted, and that the Poor receiving collection might be more effectually provided for.

As to reducing the expenses of the parish, the Poor’s Rates, before the erecting of this workhouse, were three shilling and ninepence in the pound, and are now reduced to one and ninepence.

To bring this about, the Town in the first place purchased a piece of ground adjoining to an House belonging before to the Poor, which purchase was about forty pounds; the whole is now reckoned worth £150 including the worth of the Poor’s House before.

To see that due Orders are kept in the Workhouse, a Master is provided to superintend it, whose business is to keep the poor at their work, to see to the buying in and dressing the provisions, to give an account of the work done, and what is expended. This Master is maintained out of the provision of the house, and a salary allowed him of £16 per annum.

The work which is done ordinarily in the House (the inhabitants being most of them old) comes now to about 15s. a week, which is given to the Parish Officers, as a part of what is to contribute to the maintaining of them.

The persons admitted into the Workhouse, are admitted by the consent of the Parish first obtained; and having been found too poor to subsist independently of some help, are there maintained, after having first delivered up all their goods into the Parish Officer’s hands.

The Parish provides them with all necessary clothing besides diet, and keeps them when sick in a more comfortable manner.

The number of poor in the Workhouse, is sometimes greater and sometimes less, but is generally about thirty, and the meat, drink, washing, firing, &c., is reckoned at about thirty shillings a week.

The Persons belonging to the Workhouse are supposed to be such as are like to be a continual Parish charge; for as to those who are only contingently so by sickness happening to them, they have Helps allowed them during the continuance of those unfortunate circumstances, by which they were reduced.

The poor of the House have hot meat twice a week, they are allowed cheese, their bread is two parts wheat to one of barley; and for their small beer two bushels are allowed to the hogshead.

If any claims a right to a constant share in the poor’s collection and refuses to accept it upon the terms of being admitted into the Workhouse he is refused the collection he asks.

It is owing to the erecting of this Workhouse, that several hands which would be either otherwise idle, or ill employed in the breaking hedges and such like acts of dishonesty, are commendably engaged in labours innocent, useful, and advantageous.

What is received for the work every week, is weekly set down; as is also what is weekly expended; at the foot of which account the difference is computed and how much the Town is every week out of Purse.

That no person shall be put into the House to be there kept, without a licence under the hands of five of the chiefest Freeholders and Inhabitants of the said parish, and the hands of the Overseers of the Poor, and of as many more of the rest of the Freeholders and Inhabitant’s hands as will sign the same.

That if any person shall come into the said House themselves, or bring in any child or children to be there kept, without such licence as above named, they shall be sent to BridewelI, and further punished.

That if any person refuse to work orderly, and so many hours as the Master of the House shall command them, they shall be sent to the House of correction.

That if any person will not work, pretending to be sick, which may be discovered by their stomachs or otherwise, they shall be severely punished.

That if any person shall go a begging or charing, that is kept in the said house, they shall be sent to Bridewell.

That if any person sell any thing or goods that are seized by the Overseers of the Poor, they shall be punished as the law directs.

That the Poor people in the Workhouse, if of healthful bodies, and able shall in Summer rise at 5 or before that time, and go to bed at 9.

That if anyone in the Workhouse shall convey, take, or steal, either wood, coals, clothes, lace, or any thing belonging to the Workhouse, or anybody else there, they shall be punished as the law directs, with the utmost severity.

That if any person shall presume to cut off the seal affixed to the end of their lace, they shall be severely punished.

That on Saturday in every week, at four o’clock in the afternoon, the Overseers of the Poor shall meet, and the Freeholders and Inhabitants, who are willing, may meet, to adjust the week’s accounts for the Poor, enquire how the Poor in the House are used, and whether any abuses have been there committed, and what else is needful to be done for the week ensuing.

That the Master of the Workhouse shall every week, at the end of his receipts, set down in writing all the disorders committed in the House that week, that the offenders may be examined by the Freeholders and Inhabitants, and punished as they deserve."