Buildings of Interest

Description

Built around c1824 with the first known owner being Robert Baxter, who was a blacksmith and owned a smith shop that was built next to the house. It then passed down to his son William Baxter who was also a blacksmith. The house originally was more like a barn that opened up to a field. At that point, parts around the building were sold off for miners cottages to be built to serve the miners for the colliery that was in the area, which have since been demolished. The building to the right of the house used to be a blacksmith which has since been renovated and sold off meaning it's no longer part of the estate, furthermore, the house was split into two for Williams Baxter's daughter to live in alongside her husband.

Text and images by Chris Gilmore.