Forge Cottage...

Walking northwards down Forge Lane from Upper Bush brings you out on to Bush Road, more or less opposite Forge Cottage... 

Forge Cottage, August 2021...

Exactly when the forge and associated cottage at Lower Bush was built is not certain, but the building is certainly several hundred years old. What we do know is that in 1503, a bequest by a Mr. John Absolom stated: 

“A parcel of garden for which I have assigned to the whole Parish of Cuxton there upon to build a Forge with 7 years next after my dissese…”.

The "Smithy" and its surrounding area, as shown on an 1869 OS map...

It would therefore not be unreasonable to assume that the forge was built sometime between then and around 1550. In the second half of the eighteenth century, it was ran by a Mr. Summers. His nephew, Robert Young Clifton, replaced him in the 1830s, and he was succeeded by William Clifton, who worked the forge until 1905 when his son Robert took over the business...

Forge Cottage, c.1910...

This rather famous old photo (taken by Percy Chalklen and sold as a postcard from Daniel Chalklen's post office) shows Robert Clifton, the blacksmith, and Len Smith, his Striker, standing outside of the forge. Archie (born in 1905) and Tim, Mr. Clifton’s sons, also feature. 

In his book "Cuxton - a Kentish Village", Derek Church recounts a story told to him by Archie Clifton relating to a rather unusual use of Forge Cottage. 

Apparently, a young man from Bush by the name of Guy Penfold was hit on the head by a ball while playing cricket on the green. Archie's mother was called to help but found the boy dead. When a doctor subsequently arrived, he said an inquest was necessary. The local constable arranged for this to be held in the front room of Forge Cottage and Archie's father, Robert, was the foreman of the jury gathered from local residents by the constable... 

Detail from above: the sign is an advert for "The People" newspaper...

The Clifton family were associated with the forge until 1932, an involvement stretching back over 150 years. When the Cliftons left, it was taken over by a Mr. Fisher, who lived at Whornes Place and used the forge as a motor engineering shop for a while.

Forge Cottage, 1950...

The Forge, 1950...

The forge block as pictured above in 1950, which by then had fallen into disuse...

The disused hearth and bellows, 1971...

Forge Cottage, 1972...

The forge block was eventually replaced by an extension to the cottage. Forge Cottage was Grade II listed in 1986. 

The cottage grounds are now home to the Lower Bush Alpacas.