RIPON'S Workhouse Museum has opened up its new block to visitors, thanks to support from the National Lottery.

More than 100 people attended the VIP opening, including Richard Compton, of Newby Hall and Helen Swiers, chair of North Yorkshire County Council.

The main block, which contains the original Guardian’s living quarters, dorms and dining hall, doubles the size of this historic site which reveals the history of people who had fallen on hard times.

Ripon Workhouse is one of the best preserved poorhouse sites in England and this summer, thanks to a grant from the Heritage lottery Fund (HLF), visitors will now also be able to see the Master and Matron’s parlour, the pantry, Master’s study and schoolroom as well as the original dining hall which houses a newly commissioned filmed new artwork, Consumption, by artist Pippa Hale which explores a Victorian pauper’s meal in 1861 and aims to bring alive the experience of living in the Workhouse.

Chair of trustees Richard Taylor said: “We will be able to tell the whole Workhouse story in the proper place, have space so that more of the collection can be on show and dramatically help us to present the stories of the past in new and varied ways.”

The site also includes a Victorian kitchen garden which grows heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables using Victorian gardening techniques.

Consumption artist Pippa Hale will be giving an artist talk, which will include a viewing of the new artwork created for the Workhouse. Tickets are £5 and the talk is tomorrow (Sat 29 July) from 2pm to 3pm at the Workhouse Museum.