The Smiddy, Bransdale Mill

Doing some work at Bransdale Mill, specifically in the old smithy, known as ‘smiddy’ in the local Cleveland dialect, which is being repurposed into a wood store¹Smiddy: The forge, blacksmith’s shop. Atkinson, Rev. J. C. “A Glossary of the Cleveland Dialect”. Page 469. 1868. JOHN RUSSELL SMITH,SOHO SQUARE..

This structure, formerly a dilapidated two-room, single-story building, had its fortunes revived in the recent past by the National Trust, which rendered it weatherproof with a fresh blue slate roof and matching stone gables and ridges²‘MNA143576 | National Trust Heritage Records’. 2015. Nationaltrust.org.uk <https://heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk/HBSMR/MonRecord.aspx?uid=MNA143576> [accessed 21 March 2024].

However, there’s a problem: the interior floor sits lower than the ground level at the back, leading to water-logging because of a blocked drainage gap intended to ward off moisture seeping from the earth.

Externally, noteworthy features include sockets in the northern gable from a demolished lean-to and three pigeon holes with a stone landing pad.

Dating the construction to between 1848 and 1854, records show it wasn’t shown in the 1848 tithe map but appeared later on the O.S. map. It was labelled as a blacksmith’s shop with a privy, though this is now absent.

Inside, a stone cross-wall divides the space, each room with a west-facing door. The now demolished lean-to on the northern side suggests a construction date between 1854 and 1910.

In the southern room, lie remnants of the smithy itself, including a stone hearth, bosh, and a stone trough, or ‘slake-trough’³Slake-trough: That part of the equipments of a blacksmith’s forge in which the water used for plunging the hot iron in is kept. Atkinson, Rev. J. C. “A Glossary of the Cleveland Dialect”. Page 462. 1868. JOHN RUSSELL SMITH,SOHO SQUARE.. The whereabouts of the blacksmith’s domicile is a puzzle, but probably he lived down at the mill.

William Strickland’s arrival in Bransdale in 1811 marked a turning point, transforming the modest mill into a bustling industrial hub with various amenities, including the smithy. One of his sons likely was designated for the blacksmithing business, showcasing a smart move towards diversification.

Besides conventional blacksmithing tasks, such as forging and farriery, the smith likely provided sharpening services for tools, drill bits, and masons’ tools, among others, catering to the needs of the dales community. Notably, Strickland’s inclusion of a powered grindstone at the mill’s rear underscored its significance in servicing the community’s needs, given the prevalent use of hand tools in agricultural tasks.

• 1
  Smiddy: The forge, blacksmith’s shop. Atkinson, Rev. J. C. “A Glossary of the Cleveland Dialect”. Page 469. 1868. JOHN RUSSELL SMITH,SOHO SQUARE.
• 2
  ‘MNA143576 | National Trust Heritage Records’. 2015. Nationaltrust.org.uk <https://heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk/HBSMR/MonRecord.aspx?uid=MNA143576> [accessed 21 March 2024]
• 3
  Slake-trough: That part of the equipments of a blacksmith’s forge in which the water used for plunging the hot iron in is kept. Atkinson, Rev. J. C. “A Glossary of the Cleveland Dialect”. Page 462. 1868. JOHN RUSSELL SMITH,SOHO SQUARE.