Forge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small single storey whitewashed brick blacksmith’s forge, originally dating from some time prior to 1856, but largely rebuilt c.1990 and now sporting bituminous felt to its gabled roof. The building, which is now a local tourist attraction but still includes a useable forge with large bellows etc., is set on the NE side of Hillhead Road, just over 1km E of Castledawson.

The asymmetric front elevation faces SW. To the right of centre is a doorway with timber-sheeted door. To the left of this is a window opening with timber-sheeted shutters, to the right is a slightly taller window with fixed six pane timber frame. The latter window is not original. Both the gables and the rear elevation are blank. The façade is whitewashed brick with a tarred base. Markings to the rear elevation indicate that there used to be a window opening to this side. The gabled roof is covered in asphalt. Small whitewashed brick chimney to each gable.

Historical information

A collection of buildings is shown on this general site on the OS map of 1832, one of which appears to match the size and positioning of the present. However, none of the properties within the grouping are recorded in the first valuation, so we have no details of the structures at this point. We can be sure that the building was standing c.1860, for it is recorded, as a forge, in the second valuation. At this point the property was in the hands of a Barney Devlin, with whose descendant it remains. The owner has informed the writers that half of the building was used as a house and half as the forge, however, the valuations give no indication of a dwelling function, simply referring to the property as a ‘forge’.

A photo (held by the owner) of c.1900 shows the building with a thatched roof and with only one window to front (that to left of the doorway).

The property was largely demolished in c.1988 when a lorry crashed into it, but was rebuilt / restored c.1990 using reclaimed brick supplied (so states the owner) by the restoration team then working on Bellaghy Bawn.

The building is suggested by the owner as the inspiration for / subject of Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘The Forge’ included into his second anthology of 1969 ‘The Door into The Dark’. Heaney was born at near by Mossbarn and spent his childhood in this area. The forge has become a local tourist attraction.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI VAL/1A/5/42 Valuation map, Ballyscullion parish etc., 1832-38
2 PRONI VAL/1B/526 Valuation book, Ballyscullion parish, c.1835-38
3 PRONI VAL/2A/5/42a Valuation map, Ballyscullion parish etc., c.1856-60
4 PRONI VAL/2B/5/29b Valuation book, Ballyscullion parish, c.1860
5 Information supplied by the owner

Secondary sources
1 Seamus Heaney, ‘Door into The Dark’ (London, Faber & Faber, 1969)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Small single storey whitewashed brick blacksmith’s forge, originally dating from some time prior to 1856, but largely rebuilt c.1990 and now sporting asphalt to its gabled roof. It is not a building of special architectural or historic interest.