The Old Smithy in Aug 2007

Bromham, like most villages of any size, or those on major roads, used to have a smithy. The building remains, its modern address being 8 Stagsden Road. The building was listed by the Department of Environment in 1962 and it was described as being 17th or early 18th century with colour washed plaster over stone at the front and a timber framed wall at the rear, the roof being thatched. The main part of the house lay to the west and had three rooms with a back-to-back hearth between the other two rooms which lay in the eastern half of the property. The property consisted of one storey with attics. At that time the former forge still existed as an eastern one storey extension.

 
The Old Smithy in 1962 [Z53/21/16]

In 1927 the property was still a smithy and was valued under the 1925 rating Valuation Act. At that time the valuer found a stone and thatch property owned and occupied by William H.Prudden, who had bought the place in 1924, having previously rented it. Downstairs were a parlour, kitchen and pantry, scullery and office, with three bedrooms upstairs in the attics which had a "bad slope". Outside were the wood and tile smithy measuring 13½ by 20 feet, a shoeing room measuring 12 by 14 feet and a store ("rubbish hole") in addition to a two bay open hovel. Water came from a pump but electric lighting was installed. At this time the horse was rapidly giving way to the internal combustion engine and the valuer noted "v. little trade now".

 
W.H.Prudden standing outside the smithy [Z50/21/23]

The Pruddens had been blacksmiths in Bromham since at least the 1840s. The smithy is last mentioned in Kelly's Directory of 1936.