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Summary

Marked on historic maps, there is thought to have been a blacksmiths shop established here at least 300 years ago. Closed in 1955, it has served as a gift shop, museum and pottery workshop. Sold in 2015, it has been restored as a working forge.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BLACKSMITHS WORKSHOP (Built, XVIII to XIX - 1751 AD to 1845 AD (Between))
• SHOP (Altered, XX - 1955 AD to 1965 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

Tithe Map shows a building here.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Building is depicted but not labelled on this late 19th century historic map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Smithy' is indicated on the early 20th century historic map.

Rule, N., 2019, Forge in the Moor (Website). SDV362988.

Widecombe forge was built around 300 years ago and had a vital function within the village until the 1950s, closing in 1955. The last blacksmith to operate from there was a farrier and blacksmith called Percy Prouse.
Between 1964 and 2008 the forge building served a number of functions, including housing the villages museum for a time in the 1980s and was a gift shop through the 1990s, then a pottery workshop in 2000. It finally closed in 2008 and was purchased in 2015 and restored as a working forge.

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

'The Smithy' is marked on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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