Westbury’s legacy of its last blacksmith’s forge honoured with new homes

Two homes built on the site of Westbury’s last blacksmith’s forge have been officially named in recognition of the site’s history.

The properties, located on Frogmore Road and now known as “The Old Forge” and “Elliott’s Smithy”, celebrate the legacy of the Elliott family, who operated the forge for three generations.

The forge, which stood on Frogmore Road, was last run by Frank Elliott until the late 1940s, when the demand for blacksmithing declined as farmers switched from horses to tractors. Alan Savin, from Maidenhead, a descendant of George Elliott – the great-great-grandfather and blacksmith – wanted to preserve the memory of the forge and approached the builder. The builder, whose family also had blacksmithing roots, agreed to name the homes after the forge.

At the naming ceremony on 4th December, descendants of the Elliott family attended from near and far to see the name plaques placed on the properties. Alan Savin, who has traced the forge’s history back to 1830, said that new findings on the day could suggest the forge’s origins go even further back.

“There are still some members of the extended family alive today who have fond childhood memories of watching Frank shoeing horses at the old forge, but these relations are now aged in their late eighties and nineties,” he said. “The names of these new properties will act as a reminder of the land’s past for future generations, which would otherwise be lost.”

Alan is calling on anyone who has information or artefacts related to the forge, including photos from after it ceased being used for blacksmithing, to get in touch. He plans to publish a full history of the forge in the future. Alan can be contacted via email at alan@savin.org.

Cover Picture: Jill Elliott, Christopher Vokins, Alan Savin, Neil Savin, cllr Carole King, Dorinder Thurlow