Former Smithy To Old Forge

1.

5280 CHIDDINGSTONE Former Smithy to Old Forge (formerly known as Blue Boar Smithy) TQ 54 NW

SP/722

0/722

II

1. Forge. South brick building of late C17 to earlier C18; north timber framed building possibly earlier but with later alterations. South building: red brick walls with timber framed north gable. Clay-plain tile roof but with Horsham slabs below the ridge in east pitch. Brick plinth; some stone quoins. West elevation with central doorway with brick-on-edge head to ledged door with long smith's hinges. Boarded south gable with weathervane above cambered brick head to pair of boarded vehicular doors. Rear elevation with small square window opening with wooden boarded shutter. Interior: two bays stepped and chamfered beam; roof with pegged rafters and butt purlins.

A timber framed and weatherboarded cross-wing links North and South wings; cross-wing has pair of ledged doors; C19 roof with internal wooden ridge-piece.

North wing: timber framed and weatherboarded; clay plain tile roof; red brick stack to forge. Main hipped roof on E-W axis with roof descending low to north over north later outshut. West elevation: single light window to north outshut; three light window and pair of ledged doors. Interior: east end of south wall retains frame with brace, and fenestration; mortises in wall-plate. Framing in east wall of original wing replaced partly by some English bond brickwork and later fenestration; studwork removed from original north wall and renewed in west wall; clasped purlin roof. Brick forge hearth and bellows retained.

The forge is an outbuilding to the house opposite, with date stone of 1745, now known as Old Forge, and formerly known as Blue Boar Inn; the smithy marked as such on early C20 O.S. map. North and south wings, without a link wing, and with south wing on a different axis, shown on Henry Streatfields estate map of 1765 for Manor Farm in Parish of Chiddingstone.

Listing NGR: TQ4970645348