Smithy, Canal Workshops, Clachnaharry Lock, Caledonian Canal

Matthew Davidson, resident engineer, constructed circa 1810, and enlarged circa 1840-50. This is a group of single storey, roughly rectangular in plan and rubble-built, slate roofed industrial buildings comprising a former smiddy and workshops facing the Caledonian Canal, and dating from the early years of the construction of the canal.

WORKSHOPS: (NH 64869 46544) This is a long, roughly l-plan rectangular building with predominantly blocked window openings and a modern viewing tower added at the centre of canal-side elevation. A hinged door on rails and with curved ashlar jambs remains in situ. A small bellcote (a modern replica of an earlier 19th century bellcote) is located at the junction of return. There is an L plan lanterned ridge ventilator and a high-level loading door to the street elevation. The elevation to the courtyard is predominantly timber-boarded, and has been partly replaced by blockwork encasing cast iron columns with bell capitals to the interior. The fenestration to the courtyard elevation is predominantly made up of a variety of irregular timber casements.

Internally, there is a long workshop with kingpost roof trusses, including a later 3 ton Wharton travelling crane.

SMIDDY: (NH 64902 46519) This building is roughly rectangular in plan with a canted south end and entrance door, set adjacent to the workshop building and returning to the south east at Clachnaharry Road. There are 5 timber shuttered bays to the canal side elevation, and a lean-to extension and with gabled 'taking in' door to the loft at the north, with 2 modern windows to the street elevation and ridge ventilator visible to the south east. The external brick smiddy stacks have been removed and the slate roof to the north west appears modern. Inside the space is divided into two general areas; a disused smiddy currently used as a store and a modern office.

Two large hearths for forging are extant within the smiddy. The larger forge has a stone hearth, a stone and brick chimney, and a cast iron hood; the other has a stone chimney, a cast iron hearth and hood with the maker 'Keith Blackman Ltd, London' cast onto it. Two anvil blocks of different heights are located between the forges. There are two work benches against the north east wall and the internal walls are covered in wooden battens with hooks to hold blacksmiths tools, removed for safe storage. Large timber boards partially cover the forge area floor.

There is a floored attic space accessed via a stair from the forge area and there are timber windows throughout.

The interiors of both buildings were visited in 2013 and are relatively unaltered with whitewashed rubble walls. The former smithy is disused and the workshops are in use by joiners (2013). Some alterations and upgrading to the workshop buildings occurred in 2004.