The Forge

The Forge is a house with an attached forge located in Navestock. The house dates from the early 16th century but was rebuilt in the 17th century, while the forge was added in the 19th century. The exterior features weatherboard cladding from the late 18th or early 19th century, although it has been rendered over in the 19th or 20th century. The roof is covered with peg tiles. The house has a rectangular plan with a high end cross-wing to the east, which was originally jettied. It is two storeys tall and has 19th-century windows that are two and three-light casements.

Inside, the partition wall to the hall shows display bracing and has peg and joint holes for the original bench and draught screen. There are carpenters' assembly marks, and the area is sooted where it once connected to the now-removed open hall. The exterior features rising arched braces and centre tenon joists, along with evidence of former mullioned windows and shutter grooves. In the 17th century, the hall was replaced by a two-storey hall and service room, which is oak framed with primary bracing and exposed ceiling joists. A central stack and rear stair tower bridge the hall and solar, cutting through the framing of the earlier cross-wing. The jetty of the cross-wing is underbuilt, and later in the 17th century, a lean-to outshut was added to the north of the west service room. In the 19th century, this outshut was extended to meet the stair tower, and back-to-back fireplaces were added in the service room and outshut. The forge, which is constructed of flimsy timber, is located at the northeast angle and features a brick hearth and hood with iron reinforcement. Renovation work was ongoing at the time of inspection.