Building record HIG 020 - The Old Forge, Lower Green, Higham

2012: Historic building recording of The Old Forge. A mid to late 19th century forge building. It is free standing and rectangular in plan with a lean-to extension on its western side, a lean-to extension was also on the northern side as shown on the postcard but this has been removed. The building is constructed from un-knapped flint (roughwork) in a lime mortar matrix with brick detailing around the doors and windows and on the corners of the building. The original wooden doors to the building had been replaced with sheet metal doors. The roof covering is terracotta pantiles, some of which have a black glaze. The roof on the lean-to is corrugated iron. The chimneys were square in plan and quite plain, however the evidence from the early 20th century postcard shows that they have been rebuilt as previously they were round in section and the northern one quite decorative with its apparent chequer pattern brickwork. The doors and windows of the building were still in their original positions. Most of the internal features of the building relating to its use as a forge had been removed with only one of the hearths surviving in an incomplete state. At the front of the hearth was a cast iron tank, likely to have been used for quenching and was made by Alldays & Onions Ltd Makers Birmingham & London. The historical research indicated that the forge was constructed at the same time as the inn across the road which was built to serve the village railway station (S1).