See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

The Forge, rear of Berry and Vincent, 18 Union Street, Crediton.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FORGE (XIX to XX - 1890 AD to 1905 AD (Between))

Full description

Cox, J. + Thorp, J. R. L., 2015, Berry and Vincent, 18 Union Street, Crediton: Historic Building Assessment (Report - Survey). SDV362926.

The historic maps indicate that this was built on newly acquired property between 1890-1905, to north of the c.1860 site. It was built at the south end of the west side. Its rear wall was only a short distance west of the front of the adjacent workshop (3)to south. It forms the southern end of a range which includes the store (5) to north. There is a vertical stright join between the two buildings suggesting that the forge was built before the store. However the north end of the forge is open as if expecting the addition of the store. However the junction between the two is rather awkward with details of their relationship obfuscated by 20th century building works.

The forge is now two storeys high but was built in the late 19th century – early 20th century open to the roof with the furnace situated against its east wall. Sometime, probably the mid 20th century, the forge was dismantled and the space was floored.

This block is built on an east-west axis and is basically square in plan except that the southern half of the front (east) wall cants back westward. This was presumably designed to facilitate traffic from the old yard into this new extension.

The forge is basically built of the purple Posbury stone with red-brick dressings but also includes some red sandstone and odd irregular blocks of other sandstones and limestones along with a couple of red bricks. The roof is Welsh slate.

The forge is built on an east-west axis presenting a gable-end to its east front. There is evidence for fire, without a fireplace as such, against the centre of the east wall, which leads to the conclusion that this was a forge. Such a building would have maintained the iron elements of the wagons, shoed horses in the early days, repaired tools and so on. When such functions were either no longer necessary or could be out-sourced it was floored and converted to storage space.

Exterior
The east front, as described above, is canted back a little on the southern side (Fig.30). This includes a wide doorway taller than the present first floor level. Presumably this was built to accommodate any type of cart, wagon, lorry or whatever that required repair. All that remains now is a plain opening under a timber lintel.

There is one window opening with a segmental arch head (now boarded up). There is evidence for some kind of gable chimney system from the use of brick in the gable. (See report for further details).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8083 - Historic Building Assessment: Berry and Vincent, 18 Union Street, Crediton (Ref: K868)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.