Belton Post Office And Adjoining Smithy

This building comprises a cottage, a post office, and a smithy, situated on Main Street in Belton. The cottage dates back to the 17th century and was remodelled in 1838, while the smithy was constructed in 1838. Both were designed by Anthony Salvin. The buildings are constructed of coursed squared stone with ashlar dressings and slate roofs. The cottage, located to the left, is a single storey structure with attic space, featuring a two-window front. It has ashlar quoins and coped gables with kneelers. Two through-eaves dormers are present, each featuring corbelled supports, shouldered gables, and ball finials, with a two-light window in each. Below, to the left, is a three-light window with a heavy cornice, and to the right, a canted stone bay window with a hipped roof and a three-light window. All windows are casements with stone surrounds and chamfered mullions. The interior of the cottage contains a 17th-century chamfered span beam with run-out stops, and a similar beam now boxed in. A single-storey link building houses the post office, with a central half-glazed door and overlight, flanked by a single-light window, all with stone surrounds. Two gabled roof ventilators are also present. A segmental arch with half-glazed double doors leads to the shoeing floor of the smithy. The single-storey cross wing forming the smithy also has shouldered shaped gables with ball finials. Five-light windows with stone mullions and surrounds are at each end. Above the front window is a scroll, above which a stone horseshoe encloses a datestone. The interior of the smithy is brick-lined and features a transverse arch containing flues for two forges, and a king post roof. This is one of several estate buildings by Salvin for John, first Earl Brownlow, of Belton House. The smithy remains complete and operational.