What there is to see at Cousland Smiddy

In by-gone days, in its heyday, the Smiddy was at the centre of the village social life. It was much frequented by locals and visitors.

On long summer evenings, the smith worked late and folk came to watch the work and have a crack; games of quoits were played (throwing horse shoes at a marker post) and even boxing matches were sometimes held.

On site nowadays there are four main areas of interest:

The 18th century Smiddy

The Smiddy is a treasure trove of old tools and agricultural and metal working artefacts, but there is not enough room to show all of them.

There are over 300 individual horseshoes, many unique, customised shoes. Almost all of them were made by the incumbent blacksmiths over the years.

There are all sorts of interesting tools and jigs. There is a drilling machine (from 1884), an old, belt-driven, mechanical saw and a lathe (also a very old model). An early electrical welding machine is still in working order.

A foot driven grinding stone and a huge cast iron disc, used in fitting metal tyres (girds) to wooden cart wheels, can be seen in front of the Smiddy.

The 19th century Smiddy cottage

The present cottage building dates from early Victorian times, though remains of a much earlier structure can be seen in the rear walls.

Various phases of modernisation took place up to the late 1960s, when the Sked family left the house unoccupied, after moving to live in Newtongrange. Kit Sked continued to use the cottage as an office and “howf” while working at the Smiddy, until his retiral in 1989.

A major restoration project started in 2004 to create exhibition and office space within the cottage as we see it today.

Other buildings

The but ‘n’ ben was probably built in the17th century. Where there is a lean-to building, to the east of the Smiddy, there used to be a pig sty.

At the start of World War 2 (in early1940) it was made into a workshop to help with the upkeep of the many machines needed in the local coal mines.

The organic allotments, paddock and orchard

What was once a derelict eyesore around the then dilapidated Smiddy is now a productive and pleasant amenity space. At present there are 13 organic allotments in use by villagers, as well as a paddock, an orchard and areas for walking/general recreation.