Blacksmith'S Shop

The Blacksmith's Shop is a former racquets court that has been converted into a prison blacksmith's shop, built around 1875. It is likely designed by Captain W. Crossman of the Royal Engineers. The structure is made of Portland stone with a rock-faced finish and features a corrugated asbestos-cement roof.

This long rectangular building has two storeys and seven bays, oriented on a north/south axis. The north gable consists of three bays with arched openings on the first floor, which are filled with glass blocks. The heavy cills support a single light with a cambered head and a wide garage opening with a concrete lintel. The building has a moulded string course, a raised coped verge, and an apex stack with cavetto capping, topped by an oculus.

On the west side, a prominent steel staircase leads up to a central door at first-floor level. This door is flanked by a series of pilasters and features recessed panels, with the upper half set back slightly from the lower half. The east side is similar but does not have a staircase. The Blacksmith's Shop is noted for its vigorous detailing, characteristic of other buildings in The Verne complex. The interior has not been inspected.