The Butts/Blacksmiths Hill
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At the top of the hill, immediately opposite Blacksmiths Hill was an area set aside for the practice of archery usually dubbed ‘the butts’. Most villages locally have an area or a field named the butts. There is certainly a record of men practising their archery in the sixteenth century. The Court records show the following; "To present the particular names of all those which have able bodies and have not within three weeks last past any bows or arrows and have not within the same time shot." Sybil Stevens remembers: Sybil remembers riding on the cart horse that pulled the mower to cut the grass.
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The cottages on right at top are the oldest in village. They are known as Pentile Row. Number 33 has 30ft well in garden and dates from 1500. The road previously went across the backs of the houses.
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Sybil Stevens remembers: "The Well was not inside the garden until more recently. It was for public use. The outside taps replaced the village wells in the 1940’s with running water in houses coming later. Families collected two buckets every night for the whole day’s supply. The houses had outside toilets. Young men were paid 1/2d a week to fetch water for the alms houses." |
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Walk down Blacksmiths Hill
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