Spike Heritage Centre

About

The Spike is privately owned by the Charlotteville Jubilee Trust and opens for visitors to the Heritage Centre on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10:00AM.  We try to get the last tour underway no later than 15:00 and usually close at 16:00.  

We also have special days when we can offer something with a difference, our Christmas Day tour with minced pies and mulled wine always has a few surprises for those visiting – booking is essential.  If you are a group larger than 10, you might like to consider a private tour on a day and at a time to suite you?  A birthday party treat with a difference maybe?  The winter time evening tours are particularly good!

The Guildford Spike tells a grim story about how the poor were treated in this country.  For instance, during the Poor Law Union years (1834 – 1929), those fit enough could keep themselves out of the workhouse proper as they could earn a little here and there through often back breaking hard work, or through trickery or a little begging.  The Spike was built at the time of the New Poor Laws, the Vagrancy Act of 1824 will see you punished if caught ‘sleeping rough’, you’ll need to find somewhere to doss down for the night and so, the Casual Ward beckons, you’re expected to pay, not a lot, but, if you can’t it’ll be a task of hard labour for you in the morning.  

Come to the Guildford Poor Law Union Vagrants and Casuals ward aka the Spike and be amazed at how the poor were once treated! 

During December and January please telephone to check we are open before coming to visit and remember – the Spike can be a very cold place in the winter months, dress warm!