Summary
One of a small but important group of buildings including the former cobbler's shop and school. Part of the development of the village and its social history. Single storey, roof triple-V tiles over fairly large rubble stone walls.
Identification Images (0)
Monument Types
- BLACKSMITHS WORKSHOP (Modern - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)
Description
Single storey L-shaped building, with slightly raised dormer in front pitch of gabled roof. Eaves set back one and a half courses of tiles over front doors. Rear pitch with stack internal to line of rear wall and rooflight. Catslide over small slightly extended area. Roof of north extension lower with gable end.
Roof triple-V tiles with collared ridge, louvred vent on ridge over fires, wood covered in lead or tin. Modern rooflight in rear pitch. Extension roof lower ridge and eaves, reconstituted slate, plain ridge tiles. Valleys to main roof leaded.
Fairly large rubble stone walls, very roughly squared and coursed, with a good proportion of soft red sandstone ( probably from Rydon's quarry Ebbshill), otherwise harder purple/ grey green. Wellington orange brick quoins and jambs, set 2 x 2. Brick arched lintels over windows, double row of chamfered black bricks for sills with diagonal cut out ends to shoot water away from walls. Vertical planking at north end of front. Rear extended area Wellington brick. Rear extension breezeblock, rendered. Extractor fan in south vent, two boards north vent. Vent above fire ( in ridge). In front windowsill is a half-bowl shaped space on stem, lined with render, function unknown. On north wall four rings for tying horses, one on north end of east wall. Metal lined square hole through south wall. Large fixed anvil on wood stand near front of fire. Hammer and anvil worked by foot with countersprung arrangement on modern stand on north side of fire. Bellows motor behind flues on a brick stand. Small angled metal lined niche near D2, flap on outside now behind downpipe - probably flue outlet for motor. Cobbles outside front door of building.
Not shown on 1903 2nd edition 1:2,500 OS map ( Somerset sheet XXXIV.2) but on 1929 revised 2nd edition. A small detached rear outbuilding shown on the 1929 OS 1:2,500 revised 2nd edition has been replaced by a modern extension shown on the 1972 OS 1:2,500 OS map ( SS 9046-9146). It was probably built in the 1960's.
Important Features:
External appearance with large windows/ doors.
Fittings, some possibly original, twin flued forge with firebed to front, iron doors on fireboxes, cooling tank, anvils, foot hammer, bellows, rings for tying horses.
Branding marks on rear door.
In a good state of repair, once work in progress is completed. [1]
The smithy was recorded in 2001 a part of the Holnicote Estate Survey: A rubble stone and single storey four bay building, constructed in 1906-7 to replace the smithy (115187) which was lean-to onto Ferndale (not NT). The forge has remained in use ever since, with short breaks between changes of tenancy. The present smith lives on the Estate (cottage 115056) and is a blacksmith but not a farrier. [2]
References
- SZN48220 - Unpublished document: Isabel Richardson. 2001. Holnicote Estate Archaeological Survey, Somerset. 115224.
- SZN7784 - Vernacular Building Survey: Isabel J Richardson. 1992. VBS: Allerford Smithy. [Mapped feature: #182292 ]
Other Statuses and References
- Conservation Area
- HER/SMR Reference (External) (Exmoor NP HER): MSO10703
- National Park
Associated Events
- ENA10577 - Heritage Assessment, Vernacular Building Surveys within the Holnicote Estate, 1991-1997
- ENA3149 - Field Survey, Archaeological Survey of the Holnicote Estate 2001
Associated Finds
None Recorded
Related Records
None Recorded